Disparate ultrafast dynamics of itinerant and localized magnetic moments in gadolinium metal.

ABSTRACT: The Heisenberg-Dirac intra-atomic exchange coupling is responsible for the formation of the atomic spin moment and thus the strongest interaction in magnetism. Therefore, it is generally assumed that intra-atomic exchange leads to a quasi-instantaneous aligning process in the magnetic moment dynamics of spins in separate, on-site atomic orbitals. Following ultrashort optical excitation of gadolinium metal, we concurrently record in photoemission the 4f magnetic linear dichroism and 5d exchange splitting. Their dynamics differ by one order of magnitude, with decay constants of 14 versus 0.8 ps, respectively. Spin dynamics simulations based on an orbital-resolved Heisenberg Hamiltonian combined with first-principles calculations explain the particular dynamics of 5d and 4f spin moments well,

SUBMITTER: Frietsch B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4579838 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature