Femtosecond spin dynamics of epitaxial Cu(111)/Ni/Cu wedges

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Abstract
The femtosecond spin dynamics in ferromagnetic metals is studied using time-resolved magneto-optics on an epitaxial Cu(111)/Ni/Cu wedge. A novel and sensitive double modulation scheme is introduced. The induced Kerr rotation and ellipticity are separately measured, and display a contrasting behavior during the first 500 fs after excitation. This proves the absence of a direct relation between the magneto-optical signal and the magnetization. A systematic study of the spin dynamics along the nickel wedge shows a surprisingly small influence of interface scattering, magnetic anisotropy, and morphology on the dynamics.