Ultrafast switching dynamics of a GdFe and GdCo alloy, showing the magnetization as a function of time after the laser pulse (IMAGE)
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Ultrafast switching dynamics of a GdFe and GdCo alloy, showing the magnetization as a function of time after the laser pulse. The scaling of the time axis is linear up to 10 ps and logarithmic for later times. The relaxation to a reversed magnetic state is greatly accelerated in GdCo, where after 5 ps the magnetization has already recovered to M(5ps)/M(t<0) ~ - 0.6. To reach the same value takes ~ 200 ps in GdFe. b) and c) Final state magneto-optical images after double-pulse excitation with a pulse-to-pulse separation of Δt_12=7"ps" in GdCo. Bright and dark areas correspond to opposite magnetization directions. For low fluences of the second pulse the magnetic state written by the first pulse remains unaltered, while for higher fluence of the second pulse the magnetic bit is erased. This presents the fastest write/erase cycle for magnetic information reported in literature. The scale bar in b) corresponds to 10 µm.
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