Single shot ultrafast all optical magnetization switching of ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers

The ability to control magnetism in sub-picosecond timescales using laser pulses has potential applications in fast magnetic devices. It has been demonstrated that a single femto-second laser pulse can reverse the magnetization of a film within a few picoseconds [1], a phenomenon called as all-optical switching (AOS). However, this phenomenon thus far has been observed only in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo films. On the other hand, ferromagnetic films, which are of greater interest than ferrimagnets in many technological applications, need multiple laser pulses for magnetization reversal [2], making the overall effect slow and energy inefficient. Fast, single-shot switching of a ferromagnet can open up new avenues for spintronic devices that operate at unprecedented picosecond timescales, thereby making them viable non-volatile replacements for silicon based RAMs and logic devices.