Ultrafast spin-switching of a ferrimagnetic alloy at room temperature traced by resonant magneto-optical Kerr effect using a seeded free electron laser

The influence of structure and local structural defects on the magnetic properties of cobalt nanofilms

The present paper considers a mathematical model describing the time evolution of spin states and magnetic properties of a nanomaterial. We present the results of two variants of nanosystem simulations. In the first variant, cobalt with a structure close to the hexagonal close-packed crystal lattice was considered. In the second case, a cobalt nanofilm formed in the previously obtained numerical experiment of multilayer niobium-cobalt nanocomposite deposition was investigated. The sizes of the systems were the same in both cases. For both simulations, after pre-correction in the initial time stages, the value of spin temperature stabilized and tended to the average value. Also, the change in spin temperature occurred near the average value. The system with a real structure had a variable spin temperature compared to that of a system with an ideal structure. In all cases of calculations for cobalt, the ferromagnetic behavior was preserved. Defects in the structure and local arrangement of the atoms cause a deterioration in the magnetic macroscopic parameters, such as a decrease in the magnetization modulus.

The COMIX polarimeter: a compact device for XUV polarization analysis

We report on the characterization of a novel extreme-ultraviolet polarimeter based on conical mirrors to simultaneously detect all the components of the electric field vector for extreme-ultraviolet radiation in the 45-90 eV energy range. The device has been characterized using a variable polarization source at the Elettra synchrotron, showing good performance in the ability to determine the radiation polarization. Furthermore, as a possible application of the device, Faraday spectroscopy and time-resolved experiments have been performed at the Fe M2,3-edge on an FeGd ferrimagnetic thin film using the FERMI free-electron laser source. The instrument is shown to be able to detect the small angular variation induced by an optical external stimulus on the polarization state of the light after interaction with magnetic thin film, making the device an appealing tool for magnetization dynamics research.

Standing wave approach in the theory of X-ray magnetic reflectivity

An extension of the exact X-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity theory has been developed, taking into account the small value of the magnetic terms in the X-ray susceptibility tensor. It is shown that squared standing waves (fourth power of the total electric field) determine the output of the magnetic addition to the total reflectivity from a magnetic multilayer. The obtained generalized kinematical approach essentially speeds up the calculation of the asymmetry ratio in the magnetic reflectivity. The developed approach easily explains the peculiarities of the angular dependence of the reflectivity with the rotated polarization (such as the peak at the critical angle of the total external reflection). The revealed dependence of the magnetic part of the total reflectivity on the squared standing waves means that the selection of the reflectivity with the rotated polarization ensures higher sensitivity to the depth profiles of magnetization than the secondary radiation at the specular reflection condition.

Ultrafast magnetodynamics with free-electron lasers

The study of ultrafast magnetodynamics has entered a new era thanks to the groundbreaking technological advances in free-electron laser (FEL) light sources. The advent of these light sources has made possible unprecedented experimental schemes for time-resolved x-ray magneto-optic spectroscopies, which are now paving the road for exploring the ultimate limits of out-of-equilibrium magnetic phenomena. In particular, these studies will provide insights into elementary mechanisms governing spin and orbital dynamics, therefore contributing to the development of ultrafast devices for relevant magnetic technologies. This topical review focuses on recent advancement in the study of non-equilibrium magnetic phenomena from the perspective of time-resolved extreme ultra violet (EUV) and soft x-ray spectroscopies at FELs with highlights of some important experimental results.