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Optical control of RKKY coupling and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a synthetic antiferromagnet

Author

Listed:
  • Meiyang Ma

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University)

  • Jing Wu

    (Guangdong University of Technology
    University of York)

  • Bo Liu

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University)

  • Lei Wang

    (Southeast University)

  • Zhuoyi Li

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University)

  • Xuezhong Ruan

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University)

  • Zehua Hu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Fengqiu Wang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Xianyang Lu

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University)

  • Tianyu Liu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Jun Du

    (Nanjing University)

  • Ke Xia

    (Southeast University)

  • Yongbing Xu

    (Nanjing University
    Nanjing University
    University of York
    Nanjing University)

Abstract

Synthetic antiferromagnetics (SAF) provide an excellent platform for antiferromagnetic spintronics. Recently, the voltage-control of the Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) interaction in SAFs was studied experimentally. Optical control would offer unique opportunities for the ultrafast manipulation of spin states, however, it has yet to be demonstrated. Here, using femtosecond laser excitations in a [Co/Pt]-based perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) synthetic antiferromagnet (p-SAF), we drive a reduction of the RKKY coupling and the PMA. We attribute the reduced RKKY interaction to the optically smeared Fermi wave vector of the Ru layer, which mediates the exchange coupling between the constituent ferromagnetic layers. The PMA exhibits the same amplitude of decrease as the RKKY coupling, which we associate with electron redistributions in the 3d orbitals caused by the optically smeared Fermi level. While the pump excitation process is shown to have an influence on the modulations, thermal contributions are excluded. Our study establishes a link between the RKKY coupling and the PMA in a p-SAF structure and provides an approach to tune them in parallel.

Suggested Citation

  • Meiyang Ma & Jing Wu & Bo Liu & Lei Wang & Zhuoyi Li & Xuezhong Ruan & Zehua Hu & Fengqiu Wang & Xianyang Lu & Tianyu Liu & Jun Du & Ke Xia & Yongbing Xu, 2025. "Optical control of RKKY coupling and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a synthetic antiferromagnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59689-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59689-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Je-Ho Shim & Akbar Ali Syed & Chul-Hoon Kim & Kyung Min Lee & Seung-Young Park & Jong-Ryul Jeong & Dong-Hyun Kim & Dong Eon Kim, 2017. "Ultrafast giant magnetic cooling effect in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Masakazu Matsubara & Alexander Schroer & Andreas Schmehl & Alexander Melville & Carsten Becher & Mauricio Trujillo-Martinez & Darrell G. Schlom & Jochen Mannhart & Johann Kroha & Manfred Fiebig, 2015. "Ultrafast optical tuning of ferromagnetism via the carrier density," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-7, November.
    3. Vasily V. Temnov & Christoph Klieber & Keith A. Nelson & Tim Thomay & Vanessa Knittel & Alfred Leitenstorfer & Denys Makarov & Manfred Albrecht & Rudolf Bratschitsch, 2013. "Femtosecond nonlinear ultrasonics in gold probed with ultrashort surface plasmons," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-6, June.
    4. Qu Yang & Lei Wang & Ziyao Zhou & Liqian Wang & Yijun Zhang & Shishun Zhao & Guohua Dong & Yuxin Cheng & Tai Min & Zhongqiang Hu & Wei Chen & Ke Xia & Ming Liu, 2018. "Ionic liquid gating control of RKKY interaction in FeCoB/Ru/FeCoB and (Pt/Co)2/Ru/(Co/Pt)2 multilayers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
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