Giant magnetic moment increase by ultrafast laser light.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42236699.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-73780-z.
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Abstract
It is now well established that a few femtosecond laser pulse will induce an ultrafast loss of moment in a magnetic material. Here we show that the opposite effect can also occur: an ultrafast increase in moment. Employing both tight-binding and state-of-the-art time dependent density functional theory we find that laser light tuned to the majority spin conduction band in the 2d magnets CrI<sub>3</sub> and CrSBr generates an ultrafast giant moment increase, of up to 33% in the case of CrI<sub>3</sub> (2 μ<sub>B</sub>). Underpinning this is spin-orbit induced valence band spin texture that, in combination with a strong field light pulse, facilitates an optical spin flip transition involving both intra- and inter-band excitation. Our findings, that establish a general mechanism by which ultrafast light pulses may enhance as well as decrease the magnetic moment, point towards rich possibilities for light control over magnetic matter at femtosecond times.