360{\deg} polarization control of terahertz spintronic emitters using uniaxial FeCo/TbCo2/FeCo trilayers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method for full 360-degree polarization control of terahertz spintronic emitters using FeCo/TbCo2/FeCo trilayers, enabling efficient, coherent polarization rotation without complex external magnetic setups.

Contribution

The study demonstrates a new anisotropic heterostructure design that achieves nearly coherent 360-degree polarization rotation of THz emission through simple magnetic field variation.

Findings

Achieved full 2π polarization rotation with negligible efficiency loss.

Experimental results align with the Stoner-Wohlfarth model.

Enables polarimetric characterization without rotating elements.

Abstract

Polarization control of THz light is of paramount interest for the numerous applications offered in this frequency range. Recent developments in THz spintronic emitters allow for a very efficient broadband emission, and especially unique is their ability of THz polarization switching through magnetization control of the ferromagnetic layer. Here we present an improved scheme to achieve full 360{\deg} nearly coherent polarization rotation that does not require multipolar or rotating external magnetic bias nor complex cascaded emitters. By replacing the FM layer of the spintronic emitter with a carefully designed FeCo/TbCo2/FeCo anisotropic heterostructure, we experimentally demonstrate Stoner-Wohlfarth-like coherent rotation of the THz polarization over a full 2pi azimuth only by a bipolar variation of the strength of the hard axis field, and with only a negligible decrease in the emission efficiency as compared to standard Pt/CoFeB/W inverse spin Hall emitters. THz measurements are in agreement with our model of the non-perfect Stoner-Wohlfarth behaviour. These emitters are well adapted for the implementation of polarimetric characterization not requiring any mechanically rotating polarizing elements. An example is given with the characterization of the birefringence in a quartz plate.