Femtosecond Demagnetization and Hot Hole Relaxation in Ferromagnetic GaMnAs

TL;DR

This study investigates femtosecond-scale demagnetization and hot hole relaxation in GaMnAs using ultrafast magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy, revealing rapid demagnetization and recovery processes driven by hot hole dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates ultrafast demagnetization in GaMnAs and links it to hot hole energy and spin relaxation, extending understanding from similar materials.

Findings

Sub-picosecond demagnetization observed

Ultrafast hole energy relaxation identified

Hole polarization via p-d scattering influences magnetization

Abstract

We have studied ultrafast photoinduced demagnetization in GaMnAs via two-color time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy. Below-bandgap midinfrared pump pulses strongly excite the valence band, while near-infrared probe pulses reveal sub-picosecond demagnetization that is followed by an ultrafast ($\sim$1 ps) partial recovery of the Kerr signal. Through comparison with InMnAs, we attribute the signal recovery to an ultrafast energy relaxation of holes. We propose that the dynamical polarization of holes through $p$-$d$ scattering is the source of the observed probe signal. These results support the physical picture of femtosecond demagnetization proposed earlier for InMnAs, identifying the critical roles of both energy and spin relaxation of hot holes.