Ultrafast laser driven ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic skyrmion switching in 2D topological magnet

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates ultrafast laser-induced switching between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic skyrmions in a 2D topological magnet, revealing new light-matter interactions in topological spin systems.

Contribution

It introduces a first-principles approach to control topological magnetic states using laser, showing ultrafast switching of skyrmions in a 2D material.

Findings

Laser induces ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic skyrmion switching.

Significant spin-selective charge transfer and demagnetization observed.

Ultrafast control of topological magnetism demonstrated.

Abstract

Light-spin coupling is an attractive phenomenon from the standpoints of fundamental physics and device applications, and has spurred rapid development recently. Whereas the current efforts are devoted to trivial magnetism, the interplay between light and nontrivial spin properties of topological magnetism is little known. Here, using first principles, rt-TDDFT and atomic spin simulations, we explore the evaluation of topological spin properties of monolayer CrInSe3 under laser, establishing the ultrafast ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic skyrmion reversal. The physics correlates to the laser-induced significant spin-selective charge transfer, demagnetization, and time-dependent magnetic interactions. Especially, an essential switching from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic exchange is generated under light irradiation. More importantly, dynamics of topological magnetic physics shows that this process accompanies with the evaluation of topological magnetism from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic skyrmions, manifesting intriguing interplay between light and topological spin properties. Our letter provides a novel approach toward the highly desired ultrafast control of topological magnetism.