TY - JOUR A1 - Decker, Regis A1 - Born, Artur A1 - Ruotsalainen, Kari A1 - Bauer, Karl A1 - Haverkamp, Robert A1 - Büchner, Robby A1 - Pietzsch, Annette A1 - Föhlisch, Alexander T1 - Spin-lattice angular momentum transfer of localized and valence electrons in the demagnetization transient state of gadolinium JF - Applied physics letters N2 - The electron-phonon scattering is one of the main microscopic mechanisms responsible for the spin-flip in the transient state of ultrafast demagnetization. Here, we present an experimental determination of the temperature-dependent electron-phonon scattering rate in Gd. Using a static x-ray emission spectroscopy method, where the reduction of the decay peak intensities when increasing the temperature is quantified, we measure independently the electron-phonon scattering rate for the 5d and the 4f electrons. We deduce the temperature dependence of scattering for the 5d electrons, while no effect on the phonon population is observed for the 4f electrons. Our results suggest that the ultrafast magnetization dynamics in Gd is triggered by the spin-flip in the 5d electrons. We also evidence the existence of a temperature threshold, above which spin-flip scattering of the 5d electrons takes place. We deduce that during the transient state of ultrafast demagnetization, the exchange energy between 5d electrons has to be overcome before the microscopic electron-phonon scattering process can occur. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0063404 SN - 0003-6951 SN - 1077-3118 VL - 119 IS - 15 PB - AIP Publishing CY - Melville ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Born, Artur A1 - Decker, Regis A1 - Haverkamp, Robert A1 - Ruotsalainen, Kari A1 - Bauer, Karl A1 - Pietzsch, Annette A1 - Föhlisch, Alexander A1 - Büchner, Robby T1 - Thresholding of the Elliott-Yafet spin-flip scattering in multi-sublattice magnets by the respective exchange energies JF - Scientific reports N2 - How different microscopic mechanisms of ultrafast spin dynamics coexist and interplay is not only relevant for the development of spintronics but also for the thorough description of physical systems out-of-equilibrium. In pure crystalline ferromagnets, one of the main microscopic mechanism of spin relaxation is the electron-phonon (el-ph) driven spin-flip, or Elliott-Yafet, scattering. Unexpectedly, recent experiments with ferro- and ferrimagnetic alloys have shown different dynamics for the different sublattices. These distinct sublattice dynamics are contradictory to the Elliott-Yafet scenario. In order to rationalize this discrepancy, it has been proposed that the intra- and intersublattice exchange interaction energies must be considered in the microscopic demagnetization mechanism, too. Here, using a temperature-dependent x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) method, we address experimentally the element specific el-ph angular momentum transfer rates, responsible for the spin-flips in the respective (sub)lattices of Fe20Ni80, Fe50Ni50 and pure nickel single crystals. We establish how the deduced rate evolution with the temperature is linked to the exchange coupling constants reported for different alloy stoichiometries and how sublattice exchange energies threshold the related el-ph spin-flip channels. Thus, these results evidence that the Elliott-Yafet spin-flip scattering, thresholded by sublattice exchange energies, is the relevant microscopic process to describe sublattice dynamics in alloys and elemental magnetic systems. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81177-9 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 11 IS - 1 PB - Springer Nature CY - Berlin ER -