Abstract
We present a theoretical study of single-pulse all-optical switching (AOS) in synthetic-ferrimagnetic multilayers. Specifically, we investigate the role of interface intermixing in switching Co/Gd bilayers. We model the laser-induced magnetization dynamics in Co/Gd bilayers using the microscopic three-temperature model for layered magnetic systems. Exchange scattering is included, which mediates angular momentum transfer between the magnetic sublattices. In this work, each layer is represented by one atomic monolayer of a GdCo alloy with an arbitrary Co concentration, allowing Co/Gd bilayers with an intermixed interface to be modelled. Our results indicate that within the model intermixing of the Co/Gd interface reduces the threshold fluence for AOS significantly. We show that intermixing does not qualitatively affect the switching mechanism and leads to an increase of the propagation speed of the switching front.
Highlights
All-optical switching (AOS) refers to switching magnetization by femtosecond laser pulses and was first observed in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloys.1–3 Single-pulse AOS has gained extensive attention due to the intriguing underlying physics and its potential for ultrafast data writing technologies
It has been shown that AOS in Pt/FM/Gd is very robust and can be achieved for a relatively large ferromagnetic (FM) layer thickness, i.e., the switching mechanism in synthetic-ferrimagnetic multilayers is independent of magnetization compensation
It was concluded that the robustness of AOS in Pt/FM/Gd is caused by the non-local character of the switching mechanism
Summary
All-optical switching (AOS) refers to switching magnetization by femtosecond laser pulses and was first observed in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloys.1–3 Single-pulse AOS has gained extensive attention due to the intriguing underlying physics and its potential for ultrafast data writing technologies. The mechanism in Co/Gd bilayers can be understood as a front of reversed Co magnetization that, after laserpulse excitation, nucleates at the Co/Gd interface and propagates through the Co layer driven by exchange scattering. We show that intermixing reduces the threshold fluence for AOS in Co/Gd bilayers and leads to faster propagation of the switching front.
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