Element resolved evidence of superdiffusive terahertz spin current arising from ultrafast demagnetization process

TL;DR

This study demonstrates element-specific evidence of superdiffusive terahertz spin currents generated during ultrafast demagnetization in heterostructures, showing how doping influences spin current behavior and recovery dynamics.

Contribution

It provides the first element-resolved measurement of superdiffusive spin currents during ultrafast demagnetization and explores doping effects on spin transport.

Findings

Ru exhibits a 3% magnetic contrast from spin currents.

Re doping suppresses spin currents and slows recovery.

Interface reflectivity changes with doping affect spin transport.

Abstract

Using element-specific measurements of the ultrafast demagnetization of Ru/Fe$_{65}$Co$_{35}$ heterostructures, we show that Ru can exhibit a significant magnetic contrast (3% asymmetry) resulting from ultrafast spin currents emanating from the demagnetization process of the FeCo layer. We use this magnetic contrast to investigate how superdiffusive spin currents are affected by the doping of heavy elements in the FeCo layer. We find that the spin currents are strongly suppressed, and that the recovery process in Ru slows down, by Re doping. This is in accordance with a change in interface reflectivity of spin currents as found by the superdiffusive spin transport model.