Efficient terahertz emission from R-plane α-Fe2O3/Pt

We report on the generation of ultrafast spin currents through femtosecond laser excitation of epitaxial bilayer thin films comprising α-Fe2O3 (an insulating antiferromagnet) and Pt (a heavy metal). The epitaxial thin films of α-Fe2O3 were simultaneously grown in three distinct orientations, namely,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Agarwal, Rekha, Li, Ziqi, Khan, Kacho Imtiyaz Ali, Chia, Elbert E. M., Muduli, P. K.
Other Authors: School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179640
Description
Summary:We report on the generation of ultrafast spin currents through femtosecond laser excitation of epitaxial bilayer thin films comprising α-Fe2O3 (an insulating antiferromagnet) and Pt (a heavy metal). The epitaxial thin films of α-Fe2O3 were simultaneously grown in three distinct orientations, namely, R, A, and C planes, employing pulsed laser deposition. By using the R plane α-Fe2O3, we demonstrate a substantial enhancement of the THz signal, nearly one order of magnitude greater compared to the A and C planes α-Fe2O3/Pt. We perform a detailed investigation into the sample azimuthal and laser polarization dependence of the THz emission. Our investigations establish that the sample azimuthal dependence of THz emission in the α-Fe2O3/Pt system is linked to the spin domain distribution as well as the crystalline symmetry of the orientation of α-Fe2O3. These results contribute significantly to understanding the ultrafast dynamics of spin currents in antiferromagnets.