Third Funding Period 2024-2027:
A02 Spin+Phase-Change: Competing interactions of spin with charge and lattice
Prof. Dr. Benjamin Stadtmüller (Institute of Physics, Universität Augsburg)
Prof. Dr. Martin Aeschlimann (Department of Physics, RPTU)
Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Elmers (Institute of Physics, JGU)
In project A02 we investigate the ultrafast dynamics of optically induced phase transitions in magnetic and spin-textured materials with complex topologies and symmetries. Model systems are compensated magnets as well as 2D material heterostructures. We take advantage of our implemented complete photoemission experiments based on spinpolarized momentum microscopy to uncover the correlation between the non-equilibrium spin-dependent carrier and band structure dynamics with the spin and crystal symmetries of the material systems. This will allow us to uncover new strategies to optically control the spin order of complex materials on ultrafast femtosecond timescales with highest efficiency.
Second Funding Period 2020-2023:
A02 Spin+Phase-Change: Competing interactions of spin with charge and lattice
Prof. Dr. Benjamin Stadtmüller (Department of Physics, RPTU)
Prof. Dr. Martin Aeschlimann (Department of Physics, RPTU)
Prof. Dr. Gerd Schönhense (Institute of Physics, JGU)
In project A02, PIs from both universities collaborate closely to investigate the fundamental interactions of spins with charge and lattice during optically induced phase transition in magnetic materials. Therefore, this project will establish the first complete photoemission experiment to study the non-equilibrium spin, charge, and lattice dynamics of optically excited states on a femtosecond timescale. We aim at implementing a novel multi-transition time approach to disentangle the spin, charge, and lattice dynamics in momentum space. This will allow us to uncover new spin-dependent interactions and yet unknown energy and (angular) momentum dissipation mechanisms of spin carriers in matter.
First Funding Period 2016-2019:
A02 Spin+Phase-Change: Competing interactions of spin with charge and lattice
JProf. Dr. Benjamin Stadtmüller (Department of Physics, RPTU)
Prof. Dr. Martin Aeschlimann (Department of Physics, RPTU)
Prof. Dr. Gerd Schönhense (Institute of Physics, JGU)
In project A02 PIs from both universities collaborate closely in order to reveal the role of spin-charge-lattice interactions in optically induced phase transitions occurring in magnetic, functional, and correlated-electron materials. Most interestingly, competing interactions of spin with charge and lattice, governed by spin-orbit interactions, yield rich phase diagrams of states in novel correlated-electron materials. Magnetically ordered phases are often in direct competition with other ordered phases, as for instance charge-ordered phases. In thermal equilibrium the dominant interaction that is responsible for the formation of a specific phase is generally difficult to determine. Implementing and employing a novel time-resolved and spin-sensitive XUV momentum microscopy technique, the spin-resolved transient band-structure during the optically induced loss of order will be studied on a femtosecond timescale. Therefore, the spin-dynamics in its collective environment can be investigated in a direct manner.
Aim 1: Establishing a novel method for a complete photoemission experiment based on momentum microscopy that is sensitive to time-, spin-, momentum-, energy-, and spatially-resolved band-structure dynamics throughout the entire Brillouin zone
Aim 2: Understanding the role of spin-charge-lattice interactions of optically induced phase transitions in magnetic, functional and correlated-electron materials