Photo-induced Non-collinear Interlayer RKKY Coupling in Bulk Rashba Semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how light irradiation influences interlayer magnetic exchange coupling in a bulk Rashba semiconductor, revealing light-induced oscillations, decay laws, and a novel non-collinear magnetic coupling driven by photon-dressed electrons.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of light-induced non-collinear interlayer magnetic coupling in a Rashba semiconductor, a phenomenon absent without irradiation, and explores how light properties modulate magnetic interactions.

Findings

Light induces oscillation periods and decay laws in exchange coupling.

A unique non-collinear magnetic exchange coupling is generated by light.

Light intensity can control magnetic coupling and spin textures.

Abstract

The interplay between light-matter, spin-orbit, and magnetic interactions allows the investigation of light-induced magnetic phenomena that are otherwise absent without irradiation. We present our analysis of light-driving effects on the interlayer exchange coupling mediated by a bulk Rashba semiconductor in a magnetic multilayer. The collinear magnetic exchange coupling mediated by the photon-dressed spin-orbit coupled electrons of BiTeI develops light-induced oscillation periods and displays new decay powers laws, both of which are enhanced with an increasing light-matter coupling. For magnetic layers with non-collinear magnetization, we find a non-collinear magnetic exchange coupling uniquely generated by light-driving of the multilayer. As the non-collinear magnetic exchange coupling mediated by the photon-dressed electrons of BiTeI is unique to the irradiated system and it is enhanced with increasing light-matter coupling, this effect offers a promising platform of investigation of light-driving effects on magnetic phenomena in spin-orbit coupled systems. In this platform, light properties, such as its intensity, can serve as external knobs for inducing non-collinear couplings of the interlayer exchange and for modulating the collinear couplings. Both of these effects signify the photo-generated modification in the spin textures of spin-orbit coupled electrons in BiTeI.