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    Exchange-Striction Driven Ultrafast Nonthermal Lattice Dynamics in NiO
    (College Park, Md. : APS, 2021) Windsor, Y.W.; Zahn, D.; Kamrla, R.; Feldl, J.; Seiler, H.; Chiang, C.-T.; Ramsteiner, M.; Widdra, W.; Ernstorfer, R.; Rettig, L.
    We use femtosecond electron diffraction to study ultrafast lattice dynamics in the highly correlated antiferromagnetic (AFM) semiconductor NiO. Using the scattering vector (Q) dependence of Bragg diffraction, we introduce Q-resolved effective temperatures describing the transient lattice. We identify a nonthermal lattice state with preferential displacement of O compared to Ni ions, which occurs within ∼0.3  ps and persists for 25 ps. We associate this with transient changes to the AFM exchange striction-induced lattice distortion, supported by the observation of a transient Q asymmetry of Friedel pairs. Our observation highlights the role of spin-lattice coupling in routes towards ultrafast control of spin order.
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    Ultrafast Optically Induced Ferromagnetic State in an Elemental Antiferromagnet
    (College Park, Md. : APS, 2021) Golias, E.; Kumberg, I.; Gelen, I.; Thakur, S.; Gördes, J.; Hosseinifar, R.; Guillet, Q.; Dewhurst, J.K.; Sharma, S.; Schüßler-Langeheine, C.; Pontius, N.; Kuch, W.
    We present evidence for an ultrafast optically induced ferromagnetic alignment of antiferromagnetic Mn in Co/Mn multilayers. We observe the transient ferromagnetic signal at the arrival of the pump pulse at the Mn L3 resonance using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism in reflectivity. The timescale of the effect is comparable to the duration of the excitation and occurs before the magnetization in Co is quenched. Theoretical calculations point to the imbalanced population of Mn unoccupied states caused by the Co interface for the emergence of this transient ferromagnetic state.