@article{vonReppertMatternPudelletal.2020, author = {von Reppert, Alexander and Mattern, Maximilian and Pudell, Jan-Etienne and Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Dumesnil, Karine and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Unconventional picosecond strain pulses resulting from the saturation of magnetic stress within a photoexcited rare earth layer}, series = {Structural Dynamics}, volume = {7}, journal = {Structural Dynamics}, number = {024303}, publisher = {AIP Publishing LLC}, address = {Melville, NY}, issn = {2329-7778}, doi = {10.1063/1.5145315}, pages = {13}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Optical excitation of spin-ordered rare earth metals triggers a complex response of the crystal lattice since expansive stresses from electron and phonon excitations compete with a contractive stress induced by spin disorder. Using ultrafast x-ray diffraction experiments, we study the layer specific strain response of a dysprosium film within a metallic heterostructure upon femtosecond laser-excitation. The elastic and diffusive transport of energy to an adjacent, non-excited detection layer clearly separates the contributions of strain pulses and thermal excitations in the time domain. We find that energy transfer processes to magnetic excitations significantly modify the observed conventional bipolar strain wave into a unipolar pulse. By modeling the spin system as a saturable energy reservoir that generates substantial contractive stress on ultrafast timescales, we can reproduce the observed strain response and estimate the time- and space dependent magnetic stress. The saturation of the magnetic stress contribution yields a non-monotonous total stress within the nanolayer, which leads to unconventional picosecond strain pulses.}, language = {en} } @article{ZeuschnerParpiievPezeriletal.2019, author = {Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Parpiiev, Tymur and Pezeril, Thomas and Hillion, Arnaud and Dumesnil, Karine and Anane, Abdelmadjid and Pudell, Jan-Etienne and Willig, Lisa and R{\"o}ssle, Matthias and Herzog, Marc and von Reppert, Alexander and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Tracking picosecond strain pulses in heterostructures that exhibit giant magnetostriction}, series = {Structural Dynamics}, volume = {6}, journal = {Structural Dynamics}, number = {2}, publisher = {AIP Publishing LLC}, address = {Melville, NY}, issn = {2329-7778}, doi = {10.1063/1.5084140}, pages = {9}, year = {2019}, abstract = {We combine ultrafast X-ray diffraction (UXRD) and time-resolved Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect (MOKE) measurements to monitor the strain pulses in laser-excited TbFe2/Nb heterostructures. Spatial separation of the Nb detection layer from the laser excitation region allows for a background-free characterization of the laser-generated strain pulses. We clearly observe symmetric bipolar strain pulses if the excited TbFe2 surface terminates the sample and a decomposition of the strain wavepacket into an asymmetric bipolar and a unipolar pulse, if a SiO2 glass capping layer covers the excited TbFe2 layer. The inverse magnetostriction of the temporally separated unipolar strain pulses in this sample leads to a MOKE signal that linearly depends on the strain pulse amplitude measured through UXRD. Linear chain model simulations accurately predict the timing and shape of UXRD and MOKE signals that are caused by the strain reflections from multiple interfaces in the heterostructure.}, language = {en} } @article{ZeuschnerWangDebetal.2022, author = {Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Wang, Xi-Guang and Deb, Marwan and Popova, Elena and Malinowski, Gregory and Hehn, Michel and Keller, Niels and Berakdar, Jamal and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Standing spin wave excitation in Bi}, series = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, volume = {106}, journal = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, number = {13}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, address = {College Park}, issn = {2469-9950}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.106.134401}, pages = {9}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Based on micromagnetic simulations and experimental observations of the magnetization and lattice dynamics after the direct optical excitation of the magnetic insulator Bi : YIG or indirect excitation via an optically opaque Pt/Cu double layer, we disentangle the dynamical effects of magnetic anisotropy and magneto-elastic coupling. The strain and temperature of the lattice are quantified via modeling ultrafast x-ray diffraction data. Measurements of the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect agree well with the magnetization dynamics simulated according to the excitation via two mechanisms: the magneto-elastic coupling to the experimentally verified strain dynamics and the ultrafast temperature-induced transient change in the magnetic anisotropy. The numerical modeling proves that, for direct excitation, both mechanisms drive the fundamental mode with opposite phase. The relative ratio of standing spin wave amplitudes of higher-order modes indicates that both mechanisms are substantially active.}, language = {en} } @article{ZeuschnerMatternPudelletal.2021, author = {Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Mattern, Maximilian and Pudell, Jan-Etienne and von Reppert, Alexander and R{\"o}ssle, M. and Leitenberger, Wolfram and Schwarzkopf, J. and Boschker, J. E. and Herzog, Marc and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Reciprocal space slicing}, series = {Structural Dynamics}, volume = {8}, journal = {Structural Dynamics}, publisher = {AIP Publishing LLC}, address = {Melville, NY}, issn = {2329-7778}, doi = {10.1063/4.0000040}, pages = {11}, year = {2021}, abstract = {An experimental technique that allows faster assessment of out-of-plane strain dynamics of thin film heterostructures via x-ray diffraction is presented. In contrast to conventional high-speed reciprocal space-mapping setups, our approach reduces the measurement time drastically due to a fixed measurement geometry with a position-sensitive detector. This means that neither the incident (ω) nor the exit (2θ) diffraction angle is scanned during the strain assessment via x-ray diffraction. Shifts of diffraction peaks on the fixed x-ray area detector originate from an out-of-plane strain within the sample. Quantitative strain assessment requires the determination of a factor relating the observed shift to the change in the reciprocal lattice vector. The factor depends only on the widths of the peak along certain directions in reciprocal space, the diffraction angle of the studied reflection, and the resolution of the instrumental setup. We provide a full theoretical explanation and exemplify the concept with picosecond strain dynamics of a thin layer of NbO2.}, language = {en} } @article{MatternvonReppertZeuschneretal.2022, author = {Mattern, Maximilian and von Reppert, Alexander and Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Pudell, Jan-Etienne and K{\"u}hne, F. and Diesing, Detlef and Herzog, Marc and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Electronic energy transport in nanoscale Au/Fe hetero-structures in the perspective of ultrafast lattice dynamics}, series = {Applied physics letters}, volume = {120}, journal = {Applied physics letters}, number = {9}, publisher = {AIP Publishing}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0003-6951}, doi = {10.1063/5.0080378}, pages = {5}, year = {2022}, abstract = {We study the ultrafast electronic transport of energy in a photoexcited nanoscale Au/Fe hetero-structure by modeling the spatiotemporal profile of energy densities that drives transient strain, which we quantify by femtosecond x-ray diffraction. This flow of energy is relevant for intrinsic demagnetization and ultrafast spin transport. We measured lattice strain for different Fe layer thicknesses ranging from few atomic layers to several nanometers and modeled the spatiotemporal flow of energy densities. The combination of a high electron-phonon coupling coefficient and a large Sommerfeld constant in Fe is found to yield electronic transfer of nearly all energy from Au to Fe within the first hundreds of femtoseconds.}, language = {en} } @article{MatternvonReppertZeuschneretal.2023, author = {Mattern, Maximilian and von Reppert, Alexander and Zeuschner, Steffen Peer and Herzog, Marc and Pudell, Jan-Etienne and Bargheer, Matias}, title = {Concepts and use cases for picosecond ultrasonics with x-rays}, series = {Photoacoustics}, volume = {31}, journal = {Photoacoustics}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {2213-5979}, doi = {10.1016/j.pacs.2023.100503}, pages = {22}, year = {2023}, abstract = {This review discusses picosecond ultrasonics experiments using ultrashort hard x-ray probe pulses to extract the transient strain response of laser-excited nanoscopic structures from Bragg-peak shifts. This method provides direct, layer-specific, and quantitative information on the picosecond strain response for structures down to few-nm thickness. We model the transient strain using the elastic wave equation and express the driving stress using Gruneisen parameters stating that the laser-induced stress is proportional to energy density changes in the microscopic subsystems of the solid, i.e., electrons, phonons and spins. The laser-driven strain response can thus serve as an ultrafast proxy for local energy-density and temperature changes, but we emphasize the importance of the nanoscale morphology for an accurate interpretation due to the Poisson effect. The presented experimental use cases encompass ultrathin and opaque metal-heterostructures, continuous and granular nanolayers as well as negative thermal expansion materials, that each pose a challenge to established all-optical techniques.}, language = {en} }