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Single‐Shot Multi‐Level All‐Optical Magnetization Switching Mediated by Spin Transport
Author(s) -
Iihama Satoshi,
Xu Yong,
Deb Marwan,
Malinowski Grégory,
Hehn Michel,
Gorchon Jon,
Fullerton Eric E.,
Mangin Stéphane
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201804004
Subject(s) - ferrimagnetism , magnetization , materials science , ferromagnetism , ultrashort pulse , condensed matter physics , magnetic storage , spin valve , optoelectronics , magnetic field , laser , optics , physics , quantum mechanics
All‐optical ultrafast magnetization switching in magnetic material thin film without the assistance of an applied external magnetic field is explored for future ultrafast and energy‐efficient magnetic storage and memories. It is shown that femtosecond (fs) light pulses induce magnetization reversal in a large variety of magnetic materials. However, so far, only GdFeCo‐based ferrimagnetic thin films exhibit magnetization switching via a single optical pulse. Here, the single‐pulse switching of Co/Pt multilayers within a magnetic spin‐valve structure ([Co/Pt]/Cu/GdFeCo) is demonstrated and four possible magnetic configurations of the spin valve can be accessed using a sequence of single fs light pulses. The experimental study reveals that the magnetization final state of the ferromagnetic [Co/Pt] layer is determined by spin‐polarized currents generated by the light pulse interactions with the GdFeCo layer. This work provides an approach to deterministically switch ferromagnetic layers and a pathway to engineering materials for opto‐magnetic multi‐bit recording.