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SUMMARY:Ultrafast optical manipulation of magnetic materials - Dr. Davide 
 Bossini\,  Technische Universität Dortmund\, Germany
DTSTART:20180817T143000Z
DTEND:20180817T153000Z
UID:TALK109051@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Ulrich Schneider
DESCRIPTION:Magnetism in solid state materials is one of the most widely i
 nvestigated phenomena in condensed matter physics. The conventional descri
 ption of a magnetic material is formulated in the framework of thermodynam
 ics\, since it relies on the concept of equilibrium. While this approach i
 s effective for the ground state properties\, its application to the dynam
 ical regime is limited to to spin dynamics with characteristic timescales 
 in which the adiabatic approximation can still be invoked. The technical p
 rogresses of pulsed laser sources have provided the possibility to generat
 e intense laser pulses with duration in the 10-100 femtosecond range. Such
  laser pulses are among the shortest stimuli in contemporary solid state p
 hysics. They provide the groundbreaking possibility to drive and detect sp
 in dynamics in magnetic materials in real-time experiments\, whose time-re
 solution is comparable to or even shorter than the two main magnetic inter
 actions\, i.e. the spin-orbit coupling and the exchange interaction. Note 
 that aside from the clear academic interest\, investigating the optical co
 ntrol of spins on ever-shorter timescales may have relevant implications f
 or possible future developments of the magnetic recording industry. In thi
 s talk I will present the basic concepts\, methods and goals of the feld c
 alled “ultrafast magnetism”[1]. In particular\, I aim at demonstrating
  the potentiality and wide applicability of the optical methods\, by descr
 ibing the major breakthroughs reported in this research area. Spectacular 
 phenomena have already been observed\, such as the ultrafast demagnetisati
 on[2]\, the picosecond-deterministic reversal of the magnetisation[3]\, th
 e coherent control collective spin excitations[4] and even the photo-induc
 ed magnetic phase transitions on the picosecond timescale[5]. In the last 
 part of my talk\, I plan to discuss the most recent trends[6\,7] and some 
 possible future directions.\n[1] A. Kirilyuk et al. Rev. Mod. Phys. 82\, 2
 731 (2010)\n[2] E. Beaurepaire et al. PRL 76\, 4250 (1996)\n[3] C. Stanciu
  et al. PRL 99\, 047601 (2007)\n[4] A.V. Kimel et al Nature 435\, 655 (200
 5)\n[5] D. Afanasiev et al. PRL 116\, 097401 (2016)\n[6] D. Bossini et al.
  Nat. Comm. 7\, 10645 (2016)\n
LOCATION:Ryle Seminar Room (930) 
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