Orbitronics: light-induced orbital currents in Ni studied by terahertz emission experiments

Yong Xu, Fan Zhang, Albert Fert (), Henri-Yves Jaffres, Yongshan Liu, Renyou Xu, Yuhao Jiang, Houyi Cheng and Weisheng Zhao ()
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Yong Xu: Beihang University
Fan Zhang: Beihang University
Albert Fert: Beihang University
Henri-Yves Jaffres: Université Paris-Saclay
Yongshan Liu: Beihang University
Renyou Xu: Beihang University
Yuhao Jiang: Beihang University
Houyi Cheng: Beihang University
Weisheng Zhao: Beihang University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Orbitronics is based on the use of orbital currents as information carriers. Orbital currents can be generated from the conversion of charge or spin currents, and inversely, they could be converted back to charge or spin currents. Here we demonstrate that orbital currents can also be generated by femtosecond light pulses on Ni. In multilayers associating Ni with oxides and nonmagnetic metals such as Cu, we detect the orbital currents by their conversion into charge currents and the resulting terahertz emission. We show that the orbital currents extraordinarily predominate the light-induced spin currents in Ni-based systems, whereas only spin currents can be detected with CoFeB-based systems. In addition, the analysis of the time delays of the terahertz pulses leads to relevant information on the velocity and propagation length of orbital carriers. Our finding of light-induced orbital currents and our observation of their conversion into charge currents opens new avenues in orbitronics, including the development of orbitronic terahertz devices.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46405-6

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