CA23136

Magnetism and chirality: twisting spins, light, and lattices for faster-than-ever spintronics

Principal investigator

THz Excitation of Circularly Polarized Raman-Active Phonons in LaAlO₃

In collaboration with the THz free electron laser facility TELBE at the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and ETH Zürich, researcher Fabian Graf conducted a short-term scientific mission, supervised by Steven L. Johnson and Martina Basini.

The mission focused on participating in a beamtime experiment aimed at the THz pumping and detection of circularly polarized Raman-active phonons in LaAlO₃.


Experiment Highlights

  • A circularly polarized THz electric field was used to excite specific Raman-active phonon modes.
  • The experiment was designed to investigate ultrafast lattice dynamics and the potential for light-driven control of phonon states in complex oxides.

A schematic of the circularly polarized THz field used in the experiment is shown in the figure.

Towards Spin Wave Spectroscopy in Altermagnets and Antiferromagnets

This research project aims to advance the understanding and experimental exploration of spin wave phenomena in altermagnets and antiferromagnets. By leveraging cutting-edge spectroscopy techniques, we seek to investigate spin dynamics and magnon-phonon interactions in novel magnetic materials.

 

Collaboration

This project is a joint effort between:

 

  • Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences
    Supervisor: Helena Reichlová

  • University of Konstanz
    Supervisor: Sebastian Goennenwein

 
  • Research Highlights

     

    • Development and Optimization of a Spin Wave Spectroscopy Setup
      A new experimental setup for spin wave spectroscopy has been successfully implemented and optimized at the University of Konstanz, enabling high-precision measurements of spin dynamics.

    • Magnon-Phonon Coupling in YIG
      Experimental measurements of magnon-phonon coupling in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) have been conducted, focusing on the interaction mechanisms affecting propagating spin waves.