Ultrafast all-optical manipulation of the antiferromagnetic order

2017 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16F16326
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: 湯本 潤司 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 教授 (60443769)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): BOSSINI DAVIDE 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 外国人特別研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-07 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 固体物理 / 超高速スピンダイナミクス / 磁気光学効果 / ME効果 / マルチフェロイクス / 相転移

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In the past year employed the established experimental set-up to perform experiments on CuB2O4. An extensive experimental investigation of the photo-induced optical and magnetic dynamics of this material has been performed. In particular, measurements as a function of the laser intensity and polarization were carried on and the effect of an externally applied magnetic field was investigated as well. The main goal of the investigation was establishing the optical and spin dynamics induced by laser pulses, since under the particular experimental conditions chosen the sample could have undergone a laser-induced phase transition. To be more specific: before illumination the sample was in a non-magnetoelectric phase. However, the phase diagram and the absorption spectrum suggest that the optical excitation in the near-infrared spectral range may induced the magneto-electricity. Tracking the peculiar optical fingerprint of the magneto-electricity in CuB2O4, I studied this phenomenon. Our experiment was successful, since it revealed a novel phenomenon: the magneto-electricity in CuB2O4 was activated by light on the ultrafast time-scale (i.e. 600 fs). This evidence was confirmed by a thorough series of measurements performed as a function of the magnetic field, temperature, polarization and intensity of the pump beam. Such an unprecedented optical manipulation of solids establishes novel possibilities to control magnets with electric voltages, which are much cheaper and easier to generate than magnetic fields.

Research Progress Status

翌年度、交付申請を辞退するため、記入しない。

Strategy for Future Research Activity

翌年度、交付申請を辞退するため、記入しない。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Femtosecond activation of magnetoelectricity (2018)
  • Author(s): Bossini D.、Konishi K.、Toyoda S.、Arima T.、Yumoto J.、Kuwata-Gonokami M.
  • Journal Title: Nature Physics Volume: 14 Pages: 370～374
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41567-017-0036-1
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Femtosecond manipulation of magnets via photoinduced magnons ad the edges of the Brillouin zone (2018)
  • Author(s): Davide Bossini
  • Organizer: MORIS 2018 conference, New York, USA
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Femtosecond quantum dynamics of the order parameter in antiferromagnets (2017)
  • Author(s): D. Bossini, S. Dal Conte, O. Gomonay, J. Mentink, A. Secchi, Y. Hashimoto, R. Pisarev, D. Mihailovic, T. Rasing, G. Cerullo, andA. Kimel
  • Organizer: MMM 2017 conference, Pittsburg, USA
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited