<p>Antiferromagnets have gained a growing interest for next-generation spintronic applications. Among them, the antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Mn<sub>3</sub>Sn stands out because of its electrical and magnetic properties driven by its non-collinear spin structure at room temperature. Despite research progress on the current-induced switching of the magnetic octupole in Mn<sub>3</sub>Sn, the ultrafast switching inherent to the antiferromagnet remains to be resolved, and the underlying mechanism is yet elusive. Here we measure the spatiotemporally resolved current-induced switching dynamics in polycrystalline Mn<sub>3</sub>Sn films using ultrafast magneto-optical Kerr effect imaging, with current pulses as short as 140 ps. Our results directly reveal two distinct switching regimes depending on the intensity and duration of the current pulse: a non-thermal process that does not require the transient melting of antiferromagnetic order, and a temperature-assisted process that relies on heating above the magnetic ordering temperature. Our work highlights the potential of Mn<sub>3</sub>Sn towards ultrafast magnetic recording devices.</p>

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Ultrafast time-resolved observation of non-thermal current-induced switching in an antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal

  • Kazuma Ogawa,
  • Hanshen Tsai,
  • Naotaka Yoshikawa,
  • Takumi Matsuo,
  • Yutaro Tsushima,
  • Mihiro Asakura,
  • Hanyi Peng,
  • Takuya Matsuda,
  • Tomoya Higo,
  • Satoru Nakatsuji,
  • Ryo Shimano

摘要

Antiferromagnets have gained a growing interest for next-generation spintronic applications. Among them, the antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Mn3Sn stands out because of its electrical and magnetic properties driven by its non-collinear spin structure at room temperature. Despite research progress on the current-induced switching of the magnetic octupole in Mn3Sn, the ultrafast switching inherent to the antiferromagnet remains to be resolved, and the underlying mechanism is yet elusive. Here we measure the spatiotemporally resolved current-induced switching dynamics in polycrystalline Mn3Sn films using ultrafast magneto-optical Kerr effect imaging, with current pulses as short as 140 ps. Our results directly reveal two distinct switching regimes depending on the intensity and duration of the current pulse: a non-thermal process that does not require the transient melting of antiferromagnetic order, and a temperature-assisted process that relies on heating above the magnetic ordering temperature. Our work highlights the potential of Mn3Sn towards ultrafast magnetic recording devices.