Ultrafast magnetization dynamics investigated with femtosecond time-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Abstract

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism is well known to provide quantitative and element-specific information on the magnetic moment in magnetically ordered materials. In recent years magnetic order in optically excited states and the respective ultrafast relaxation dynamics became a topic of considerable interest. On pico- and femtosecond timescales such dynamics is analyzed by pump-probe experiments which are nowadays carried out employing table-top femtosecond laser setups and large scale facilities like synchrotron light sources or free electron lasers. Here, we motivate the problem of ultrafast, laser-induced magnetization dynamics and review results of near-infrared laser pump and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism probe experiments.