Coherent terahertz control of antiferromagnetic order in the intercalated transition metal dichalcogenide.
ORAL
Abstract
Antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials have been widely discussed as potential replacements for conventional ferromagnetic memory devices because of their stability in external magnetic fields and fast terahertz (THz) switching timescales. Recent work has shown that the AFM metal Fe1/3NbS2 can be electrically switched using remarkably low current densities. However, optical switching of Fe1/3NbS2 using a THz electrical field has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we perform static polar Kerr and THz-induced dynamic Kerr rotation measurements, combined with neutron scattering experiments and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the AFM switching mechanisms in Fe1/3NbS2. We confirm the non-collinear nature of the AFM ordering below the Néel temperature and observe a THz-induced Kerr ellipticity that persists at temperatures three times higher than the Néel temperature. These findings underscore the presence of glassy dynamics in Fe1/3NbS2 and highlight the possibility of manipulating antiferromagnetic ordering in metals using THz electric fields.
*This work is supported by the Illinois Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) award number DMR-1720633 and through the Illinois Materials Research Lab (MRL) facilities.
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Presenters
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Azel Murzabekova
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign