TY - JOUR A1 - Rettig, L. A1 - Dornes, C. A1 - Thielemann-Kuehn, Nele A1 - Pontius, N. A1 - Zabel, Hartmut A1 - Schlagel, D. L. A1 - Lograsso, T. A. A1 - Chollet, M. A1 - Robert, A. A1 - Sikorski, M. A1 - Song, S. A1 - Glownia, J. M. A1 - Schuessler-Langeheine, Christian A1 - Johnson, S. L. A1 - Staub, U. T1 - Itinerant and Localized Magnetization Dynamics in Antiferromagnetic Ho JF - Physical review letters N2 - Using femtosecond time-resolved resonant magnetic x-ray diffraction at the Ho L-3 absorption edge, we investigate the demagnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetically ordered metallic Ho after femtosecond optical excitation. Tuning the x-ray energy to the electric dipole (E1, 2p -> 5d) or quadrupole (E2, 2p -> 4f) transition allows us to selectively and independently study the spin dynamics of the itinerant 5d and localized 4f electronic subsystems via the suppression of the magnetic (2 1 3-tau) satellite peak. We find demagnetization time scales very similar to ferromagnetic 4f systems, suggesting that the loss of magnetic order occurs via a similar spin-flip process in both cases. The simultaneous demagnetization of both subsystems demonstrates strong intra-atomic 4f-5d exchange coupling. In addition, an ultrafast lattice contraction due to the release of magneto-striction leads to a transient shift of the magnetic satellite peak. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.257202 SN - 0031-9007 SN - 1079-7114 VL - 116 SP - 6382 EP - 6389 PB - American Physical Society CY - College Park ER -