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arXiv · 2302.12104

Ultrafast laser-induced spin-lattice dynamics in the van der Waals antiferromagnet CoPS3

D. Khusyainov·T. Gareev·V. Radovskaia·K. Sampathkumar·S. Acharya·M. Šiškins·S. Mañas-Valero·B. A. Ivanov·E. Coronado·Th. Rasing·A. V. Kimel·D. Afanasiev
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Abstract

CoPS3 stands out in the family of the van der Waals antiferromagnets XPS3 (X=Mn, Ni, Fe, Co) due to the unquenched orbital momentum of the magnetic Co2+ ions which is known to facilitate the coupling of spins to both electromagnetic waves and lattice vibrations. Here, using a time-resolved magneto-optical pump-probe technique we experimentally study the ultrafast laser-induced dynamics of mutually correlated spins and lattice. It is shown that a femtosecond laser pulse acts as an ultrafast heater and thus results in the melting of the antiferromagnetic order. At the same time, the resonant pumping of the 4T1g - 4T2g electronic transition in Co2+ ions effectively changes their orbital momentum, giving rise to a mechanical force that moves the ions in the direction parallel to the orientation of their spins, thus generating a coherent Bg phonon mode at the frequency of about 4.7 THz.

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D. Khusyainov, T. Gareev, V. Radovskaia, K. Sampathkumar, S. Acharya, M. Šiškins, S. Mañas-Valero, B. A. Ivanov, E. Coronado, Th. Rasing, A. V. Kimel, D. Afanasiev. 2023-02-23. Ultrafast laser-induced spin-lattice dynamics in the van der Waals antiferromagnet CoPS3. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0146128

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