Photoinduced melting of antiferromagnetic order in La0.5Sr1.5MnO4 measured using ultrafast resonant soft X-ray diffraction

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.217401
PMID: 21699341

Authors: H. Ehrke (University of Oxford; Diamond Light Source) , R. I. Tobey (University of Oxford; University of Hamburg-CFEL) , S. A. Wall (University of Oxford; Fritz Haber Institute) , S. Cavill (University of York; Diamond Light Source) , M. Foerst (University of Hamburg-CFEL) , V. Khanna (University of Hamburg-CFEL) , T. Garl (University of Hamburg-CFEL) , N. Stojanovic (HASYLAB at DESY) , D. Prabhakaran (University of Oxford) , A. Boothroyd (University of Oxford) , M. Gensch (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf) , A. Mirone (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility) , P. Reutler (Centre Université Paris Sud) , A. Revcolevschi (Centre Université Paris Sud) , S. S. Dhesi (Diamond Light Source) , A. Cavalleri (University of Oxford; University of Hamburg-CFEL)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review Letters , VOL 106 (21) , PAGES 217401

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2011

Abstract: We used ultrafast resonant soft x-ray diffraction to probe the picosecond dynamics of spin and orbital order in La 0.5 Sr 1.5 MnO 4 after photoexcitation with a femtosecond pulse of 1.5 eV radiation. Complete melting of antiferromagnetic spin order is evidenced by the disappearance of a (14 ,14 ,12 ) diffraction peak. On the other hand, the (14 ,14 ,0) diffraction peak, reflecting orbital order, is only partially reduced. We interpret the results as evidence of destabilization in the short-range exchange pattern with no significant relaxation of the long-range Jahn-Teller distortions. Cluster calculations are used to analyze different possible magnetically ordered states in the long-lived metastable phase. Nonthermal coupling between light and magnetism emerges as a primary aspect of photoinduced phase transitions in manganites.

Journal Keywords: Ultrafast; Melting; Magnetic Order

Diamond Keywords: Antiferromagnetism

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials


Instruments: I06-Nanoscience (XPEEM)

Added On: 30/09/2011 00:03

Discipline Tags:

Quantum Materials Physics Magnetism Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Diffraction Soft X-ray Diffraction (SXD)