Fast spin dynamics in hexagonal arrays of Fe atoms on metallic surface

TL;DR

This paper investigates the ultrafast spin dynamics of hexagonally arranged Fe atoms on a metallic surface, demonstrating how magnetic pulse parameters influence spin switching and revealing a parity effect related to cluster size.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the control of spin configurations in atomic-scale magnetic clusters and uncovers a parity-dependent variation in switching times.

Findings

Magnetic pulse amplitude and duration control spin switching.

A parity effect influences switching times based on cluster size.

Changes in magnetic states are explained by relaxation of exchange and anisotropy energies.

Abstract

Understanding the nature of magnetic interactions in ultra-small magnetic ensembles and their intrinsic properties is vital to uncover the dynamics therein. In this study we reveal the spin dynamics of hexagonally arranged Fe atoms on metallic surface that are triggered by magnetic pulse. The switching process among various spin configurations and their relative magnetic order is tuned by the amplitude and duration of the magnetic pulse. Even more we observe a parity effect in the switching time as the size of the cluster varies in which even number of Fe atoms shows faster dynamics. The changes in the multistable magnetic states and switching times are explained by using the relaxation of the exchange and anisotropy energies in time.