Lee, S.E.; Windsor, Y.W.; Zahn, D.; Kraiker, A.; Kummer, K.; Kliemt, K.; Krellner, C.; Schüßler-Langeheine, C.; Pontius, N.; Staub, U.; Vyalikh, D.V.; Ernst, A.; Rettig, L.: Controlling 4f antiferromagnetic dynamics via itinerant electronic susceptibility. Physical Review Research 6 (2024), p. 043019/1-9
10.1103/physrevresearch.6.043019
Open Access Version
Abstract:
Optical manipulation of magnetism holds promise for future ultrafast spintronics, especially with lanthanides and their huge, localized 4𝑓 magnetic moments. These 4f moments interact indirectly by spin polarizing the conduction electrons (the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida exchange interaction), influenced by interatomic orbital overlap, and the conduction electron's susceptibility around the Fermi level. Here, we study this influence in a series of 4𝑓 antiferromagnets, Gd𝑇2Si2 (𝑇 = Co, Rh, Ir), using ultrafast resonant x-ray diffraction. We observe a twofold increase in the ultrafast intersublattice angular momentum transfer rate between the materials, originating from modifications in the conduction electron susceptibility, as confirmed by first-principles calculations.