Skip to main content

Relaxation Dynamics of Majority and Minority Electrons After Ultrashort Laser Excitation

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Ultrafast Magnetism I

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Physics ((SPPHY,volume 159))

  • 2047 Accesses

Abstract

We analyze the ultrafast demagnetization after ultrashort laser excitation by a kinetic model based on Elliott-Yafet scattering processes. By applying complete Boltzmann scattering integrals we trace the majority and minority electrons as well as phonons in the sample. Additionally, we allow for dynamical changes in the exchange splitting between majority and minority electrons. We find that our model has the potential to describe the magnetization dynamics and provides insights in the relaxation dynamics of the non-equilibrium electron system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. E. Beaurepaire, J.-C. Merle, A. Daunois, and J.-Y. Bigot, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4250 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  2. B. Koopmans, G. Malinowski, F. Dalla Longa, D. Steiauf, M. Fähnle, T. Roth, M. Cinchetti, and M. Aeschlimann, “Explaining the paradoxical diversity of ultrafast laser-induced demagnetization” Nature Materials 9, 259 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  3. C. Stamm, T. Kachel, N. Pontius, R. Mitzner, T. Quast, K. Holldack, S. Khan, C. Lupulescu, E. F. Aziz, M. Wietstruk, H. A. D¨urr, and W. Eberhardt, “Femtosecond modification of electron localization and transfer of angular momentum in nickel” Nature Materials 6, 740 (2007).

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Cinchetti, M. S´anchez Albaneda, D. Hoffmann, T. Roth, J.-P. W¨ustenberg, M. Krauß, O. Andreyev, H. C. Schneider, M. Bauer, and M. Aeschlimann, “Spin-Flip Processes and Ultrafast Magnetization Dynamics in Co: Unifying the Microscopic and Macroscopic View of Femtosecond Magnetism” Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 177201 (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  5. J.-Y. Bigot, M. Vomir, and E. Beaurepaire, “Coherent ultrafast magnetism induced by femtosecond laser pulses” Nature Physics 5, 515 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  6. E. Carpene, E. Mancini, C. Dallera, M. Brenna, E. Puppin, and S. De Silvestri, “Dynamics of electron-magnon interaction and ultrafast demagnetization in thin iron films” Phys. Rev. B 78, 174422 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  7. G. P. Zhang and W. Hübner, “Laser-Induced Ultrafast Demagnetization in Ferromagnetic Metals” Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3025 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  8. N. Kazantseva, U. Nowak, R.W. Chantrell, J. Hohlfeld, and A. Rebei, “Slow recovery of the magnetisation after a sub-picosecond heat pulse” Europhysics Letters 81, 27004 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  9. B. Koopmans, J. J. M. Ruigrok, F. Dalla Longa, and W. J. M. de Jonge, “Unifying Ultrafast Magnetization Dynamics” Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 267207 (2005).

    Google Scholar 

  10. M. Battiato, K. Carva, and P. M. Oppeneer, “Superdiffusive Spin Transport as a Mechanism of Ultrafast Demagnetization” Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 027203 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  11. M. Krauss, T. Roth, S. Alebrand, D. Steil, M. Cinchetti, M. Aeschlimann, and H. C. Schneider, “Ultrafast demagnetization of ferromagnetic transition metals: The role of the Coulomb interaction” Physical Review B 80, 180407 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  12. D. Steiauf and M. F¨ahnle, “Elliott-Yafet mechanism and the discussion of femtosecond magnetization dynamics” Phys. Rev. B 79, 140401 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  13. D. Steiauf, C. Illg, and M. F¨ahnle, “Demagnetization on the fs time-scale by the Elliott-Yafet mechanism” Journal of Physics: Conference Series 200, 042024 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  14. M. Fähnle, J. Seib, and C. Illg, “Relating Gilbert damping and ultrafast laser-induced demagnetization” Phys. Rev. B 82, 144405 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  15. S. Mathias, C. La-o vorakiat, P. Grychtol, P. Granitzka, E. Turgut, J. M. Shaw, R. Adam, H. T. Nembach, M. E. Siemens, S. Eich, C. M. Schneider, T. J. Silva, M. Aeschlimann, M. M. Murnane, and H. C. Kapteyn, “Probing the timescale of the exchange interaction in a ferromagnetic alloy” PNAS 109, 4792 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  16. D. Steil, S. Alebrand, T. Roth, M. Krauß, T. Kubota, M. Oogane, Y. Ando, H. C. Schneider, M. Aeschlimann, and M. Cinchetti, “Band-Structure-Dependent Demagnetization in the Heusler Alloy Co2Mn1 − xFexSi” Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 217202 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  17. D. Rudolf, C. La-O-Vorakiat, M. Battiato, R. Adam, J. M. Shaw, E. Turgut, P. Maldonado, S. Mathias, P. Grychtol, H. T. Nembach, T. J. Silva, M. Aeschlimann, H. C. Kapteyn, M. M. Murnane, C. M. Schneider, and P. M. Oppeneer, “Ultrafast magnetization enhancement in metallic multilayers driven by superdiffusive spin current” Nature comm. 3, 1037 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  18. B. Y. Mueller, T. Roth, M. Cinchetti, M. Aeschlimann, and B. Rethfeld, “Driving force of ultrafast magnetization dynamics” New Journal of Physics 13, 123010 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  19. S. Essert and H. C. Schneider, “Electron-phonon scattering dynamics in ferromagnetic metals and their influence on ultrafast demagnetization processes” Phys. Rev. B 84, 224405 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  20. K. Carva, M. Battiato, and P. M. Oppeneer, “Ab Initio Investigation of the Elliott-Yafet Electron-Phonon Mechanism in Laser-Induced Ultrafast Demagnetization” Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 207201 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  21. A. B. Schmidt, M. Pickel, M. Donath, P. Buczek, A. Ernst, V. P. Zhukov, P. M. Echenique, L. M. Sandratskii, E. V. Chulkov, and M. Weinelt, “Ultrafast Magnon Generation in an Fe Film on Cu(100)” Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 197401 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  22. G. Lefkidis, G. Zhang, and W. Hübner, “Angular Momentum Conservation for Coherently Manipulated Spin Polarization in Photoexcited NiO: An Ab Initio Calculation” Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 217401 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  23. A. Eschenlohr, M. Battiato, P. Maldonado, N. Pontius, T. Kachel, K. Holldack, R. Mitzner, A. Föhlisch, P. M. Oppeneer, and C. Stamm, “Ultrafast spin transport as key to femtosecond demagnetization” Nature materials 12, 332 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  24. M. Battiato, K. Carva, and P. M. Oppeneer, “Theory of laser-induced ultrafast superdiffusive spin transport in layered heterostructures” Phys. Rev. B 86, 024404 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  25. I. Žutić, J. Fabian, and S. Das Sarma, “Spintronics: Fundamentals and applications” Reviews of Modern Physics 76, 323 (2004).

    Google Scholar 

  26. B. Rethfeld, A. Kaiser, M. Vicanek, and G. Simon, “Ultrafast dynamics of nonequilibrium electrons in metals under femtosecond laser irradiation” Phys. Rev. B 65, 214303 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  27. B. Y. Mueller and B. Rethfeld, “Relaxation dynamics in laser-excited metals under nonequilibrium conditions” Phys. Rev. B 87, 035139 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  28. W. Nolting and A. Ramakanth, Quantum Theory of Magnetism (Springer, 2009).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Z. Lin, L. V. Zhigilei, and V. Celli, “Electron-phonon coupling and electron heat capacity of metals under conditions of strong electron-phonon nonequilibrium” Phys. Rev. B 77, 075133 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through the Emmy-Noether and Heisenberg Programm as well as the AHRP for providing the computational facilities is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Y. Mueller .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Mueller, B.Y., Cinchetti, M., Aeschlimann, M., Schneider, H.C., Rethfeld, B. (2015). Relaxation Dynamics of Majority and Minority Electrons After Ultrashort Laser Excitation. In: Bigot, JY., Hübner, W., Rasing, T., Chantrell, R. (eds) Ultrafast Magnetism I. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 159. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07743-7_37

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics