Néel vector switching and terahertz spin-wave excitation in Mn₂Au due to femtosecond spin-transfer torques

Abstract

Efficient and fast manipulation of antiferromagnets has to date remained a challenging task, hindering their application in spintronic devices. For ultrafast operation of such devices, it is highly desirable to be able to control the antiferromagnetic order within picoseconds—a timescale that is difficult to achieve with electrical circuits. Here, we demonstrate that bursts of spin-polarized hot-electron currents emerging due to laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization are able to efficiently excite spin dynamics in antiferromagnetic Mn2Au by exerting a spin-transfer torque on femtosecond timescales. We combine quantitative superdiffusive transport and atomistic spin-model calculations to describe a spin-valve-type trilayer consisting of Fe|Cu|Mn2Au. Our results demonstrate that femtosecond spin-transfer torques can switch the Mn2Au layer within a few picoseconds. In addition, we find that spin waves with high frequencies up to several THz can be excited in Mn2Au.