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All-Optical Switching In Ferromagnetic Superlattices., Faren Hoveyda Marashi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unexpected observation of ultrafast demagnetization (UDM) and subsequent time-resolved studies of laser-induced magnetization switching opened a new door to both fundamental physics and technological applications of magnetic materials. All-optical switching (AOS) can be initiated faster than the precession limit, hinting to its potential in increasing the writing speed and data storage density. However, notwithstanding considerable research interest, the mechanism of AOS in ferromagnetic materials remained unclear.

Ferromagnetic superlattices were deposited on glass substrates with e-beam evaporation and sputtering. Magnetization curves were measured in magneto-optical and vibrating sample magnetometer experiments. A femtosecond Ti:S laser was utilized in a writing setup …