Research project is financed by the Swedish Research Council.
Our project aims to disclose novel light-matter interaction mechanisms in magnetophotonic nanomaterials, which will have a disruptive impact on forthcoming light-driven technologies, enabling energy-efficient and faster information processing.
Photonics represents a great promise in overcoming the fundamental limits of electronics, since light is at the same time much faster and less dissipative, and can be manipulated on size scales reaching the atomic limit. In this framework, magnetophotonic nanomaterials, which combine magnetic and optical properties, are among the best candidates to carry, transfer and process information at optical frequencies (much faster) by minimizing energy consumption (less dissipative).
Nevertheless, our knowledge of non-dissipative magnetic phenomena and ultrafast light-matter interactions in nanoscale materials is extremely limited. In this project we aim to unveil nonthermal magnetization dynamics in nanomaterials supporting both plasmons, collective and coherent oscillation of charges in metals, and magnetic properties. To do so, we will develop a state-of-the art pump-probe spectroscopy setup enabling the generation of few-optical cycles visible and near-infrared light pulses to excite and observe plasmonic effects on magnetic processes at the nanoscale. We will also focus on the the design and fabrication of magnetoplasmonic nanostructures, as well as their optical and magnetic properties modelling.
