A route to minimally dissipative switching in magnets via THz phonon pumping

Abstract

Advanced magnetic recording paradigms typically use large temperature changes to drive switching which is detrimental to device longevity, hence finding non-thermal routes is crucial for future applications. By employing atomistic spin-lattice dynamics simulations, we show efficient coherent magnetisation switching triggered by THz phonon excitation in insulating single species materials. The key ingredient is excitation near the $P$-point of the spectrum in conditions where spins typically cannot be excited and when manifold $k$ phonon modes are accessible at the same frequency. Our model predicts the necessary ingredients for low-dissipative switching and provides new insight into THz-excited spin dynamics.