| Author(s): |
Thomas J. Silva; Justin M. Shaw; Hans T. Nembach; Margaret M. Murnane; Henry C. Kapteyn; Chan La-O-Vorakiat; Stefan Mathias; Emrah Turgut; Teale A. Carson; Martin Aeschlimann; Claus M. Schneider; |
| Title: |
Ultrafast Demagnetization Measurements using Extreme Ultraviolet Light: Comparison of Electronic and Magnetic Contributions |
| Published: |
January 23, 2012 |
| Abstract: |
Ultrashort pulses of extreme ultraviolet light from high-harmonic generation are a new tool for probing coupled charge, spin, and phonon dynamics with element specificity, attosecond pump-probe synchronization, and time resolution of a few-femtoseconds in a tabletop apparatus. In this paper, we address an important question in magneto-optics that has implications for understanding magnetism on the fastest time scales: Is the signal from the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect at the M2,3 edges of a magnetic material purely magnetic or is it perturbed by nonmagnetic artifacts? Our measurements demonstrate conclusively that transverse magneto-optical Kerr measurements at the M2,3 edges sensitively probe the magnetic state, with almost negligible contributions from the transient variation of the refractive index by the nonequilibrium hot-electron distribution. In addition, we compare pump-probe demagnetization dynamics measured by both high harmonics and conventional visible-wavelength magneto-optics and find that the measured demagnetization times are in agreement. |
| Citation: |
Physical Review |
| Volume: |
2 |
| Issue: |
011005 |
| Pages: |
pp. 011005-1 - 011005-7 |
| Keywords: |
ultrafast demagnetization;high harmonic generation;transverse magneto-optic Kerr effect;magnetization dynamics;extreme ultraviolet |
| Research Areas: |
Condensed Matter Physics, Magnetics, Optical Physics |
| PDF version: |
 Click here to retrieve PDF version of paper (882KB) |
