Band-structure-dependent demagnetization in the Heusler alloy Co 2Mn1-xFexSi

Daniel Steil, Sabine Alebrand, Tobias Roth, Michael Krauß, Takahide Kubota, Mikihiko Oogane, Yasuo Ando, Hans Christian Schneider, Martin Aeschlimann, Mirko Cinchetti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We investigate the ultrafast demagnetization for two Heusler alloys (Co2Mn1-xFexSi) with a different lineup of the minority band gap and the Fermi level. Even though electronic spin-flip transitions are partially blocked by the band gap in one compound, the respective magnetization dynamics, as measured by the time-resolved Kerr effect, are remarkably similar. Based on a dynamical model that includes momentum and spin-dependent carrier scattering, we show that the magnetization dynamics are dominated by hole spin-flip processes, which are not influenced by the gap.

Original languageEnglish
Article number217202
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume105
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010 Nov 15

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