Dual-channel all-optical switching with tunable frequency in a five-level double-ladder atomic system

A scheme of five-level double-ladder-type atomic system is proposed with the aim of implementing dual-channel all-optical switching. Two transitions in the five-level atomic medium independently interact with the two orthogonally (circularly) polarized components from a weak linearly-polarized probe beam, while two other atomic transitions are coherently driven by a control beam and a switching signal beam. We demonstrate that the switching on/off of two orthogonally polarized beams at different frequencies can be achieved by adjusting the magnitude of the external magnetic field, which expands the frequency range of an optical signal switching operation and may improve its practicability.     

Switching field modulation of a nanomagnet by resonant microwave spin torque

We report on the effect of a low amplitude microwave current on the switching field of magnetic layers in a 40 nm diameter pseudo-spin valve grown by template synthesis. We show a frequency dependence at room temperature reflecting the dynamic behavior of the switching process. This is confirmed by numerical calculation of the Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert equation including Slonczewski Spin Transfer Torque term within a macrospin approximation. The possibility to modulate the switching fields of a nanomagnet with microwave currents offers an alternative to the magnetic switching assisted by microwave magnetic field.     

Precessional switching of thin nanomagnets: analytical study

We study analytically the precessional switching of the magnetization of a thin macrospin. We analyze its response when subjected to an external field along its in-plane hard axis. We derive the exact trajectories of the magnetization. The switching versus non switching behavior is delimited by a bifurcation trajectory, for applied fields equal to half of the effective anisotropy field. A magnetization going through this bifurcation trajectory passes exactly along the hard axis and exhibits a vanishing characteristic frequency at that unstable point, which makes the trajectory noise sensitive. Attempting to approach the related minimal cost in applied field makes the magnetization final state unpredictable. We add finite damping in the model as a perturbative, energy dissipation factor. For a large applied field, the system switches several times back and forth. Several trajectories can be gone through before the system has dissipated enough energy to converge to one attracting equilibrium state. For some moderate fields, the system switches only once by a relaxation dominated precessional switching. We show that the associated switching field increases linearly with the damping parameter. The slope scales with the square root of the effective anisotropy. Our simple concluding expressions are useful to assess the potential application of precessional switching in magnetic random access memories.Received: 2 October 2003, Published online: 19 November 2003PACS: 75.40.Gb Dynamic properties (dynamic susceptibility, spin waves, spin diffusion, dynamic scaling, etc.) - 75.60.Jk Magnetization reversal mechanisms - 75.75. + a Magnetic properties of nanostructures     

Controllable Optical Bistability in a Crystal of Molecular Magnets System

We investigate the formation of optical bistability (OB) in a crystal of molecular magnets contained in a unidirectional ring cavity. The crystal is subjected to one dc magnetic field and two (probe and coupling) ac resonant magnetic field. The results show that OB can be controlled efficiently by adjusting the intensity of the control field, the detuning of probe magnetic field and the cooperation parameter. Furthermore, within certain parameter range, the optical multistablity (OM) can also be observed in the crystal medium. This investigation can be used for designing new types of nonelectronic devices for realizing switching process.     

磁场方向调制的InAs量子点分子量子比特

在有效质量近似条件下研究了由两个垂直耦合自组织InAs量子点组成的双电子量子点分子的电子结构，在此基础上利用系统的总自旋提出了一种磁场方向调制的量子比特方案.电子的相关效应可以导致系统的总自旋在0和1之间转换，值得注意的是，通过调节外部磁场的方向来实现这种转换，而不是像以往那样通过改变外部磁场的大小.结果支持利用系统的总自旋作为磁场方向调制的量子比特的可能性，而且因为高质量的垂直耦合量子点分子的制作工艺已经成熟，所以这是一个非常现实的量子比特设计方案. 关键词： 量子点分子 磁场方向调制 量子比特     

Controlled optical switching based on dipole-induced transparency in a cavity–waveguide system

We show that one can control the path of an optical field propagating in a waveguide with another optical field in a cavity–waveguide system. The strong coupling between the two optical fields is achieved using cavity–QED based on dipole-induced transparency and an optical Stark shift. Numerical simulations suggest that the optical switching is possible even when the intensity of the control field approaches the single photon level.     

Berry Phase of Composite System Induced by Time-Dependent Interaction

The Berry phase in a composite system induced by the time-dependent interaction is discussed. We choose two coupled spin-1/2 systems as the composite system： one of the subsystems is subjected to a static magnetic field, and the coupling parameters between two spins are controllable in time. We show that the time-dependent interaction can induce the Berry phase in a similar way as that a spin-1/2 system （qubit） is driven by an effective time-dependent magnetic field. Furthermore, using two consecutive cycles with opposite directions of both the static magnetic field as well as opposite signs of the coupling parameters, a nontrivial two-qubit unitary transformation purely based on Berry phases can be constructed.     

Electric-field-induced magnetization reversal in a ferromagnet-multiferroic heterostructure

A reversal of magnetization requiring only the application of an electric field can lead to low-power spintronic devices by eliminating conventional magnetic switching methods. Here we show a nonvolatile, room temperature magnetization reversal determined by an electric field in a ferromagnet-multiferroic system. The effect is reversible and mediated by an interfacial magnetic coupling dictated by the multiferroic. Such electric-field control of a magnetoelectric device demonstrates an avenue for next-generation, low-energy consumption spintronics.     

Spontaneous transverse response and amplified switching in superconductors with honeycomb pinning arrays

Using numerical simulations, we show that a novel spontaneous transverse response can appear when a longitudinal drive is applied to type-II superconductors with honeycomb pinning arrays in a magnetic field near certain filling fractions. This response is generated by dynamical symmetry breaking that occurs at fields away from commensurability. We find a coherent strongly amplified transverse switching effect when an additional transverse ac drive is applied. The transverse ac drive can also be used to control switching in the longitudinal velocity response. We discuss how these effects could be used to create new types of devices such as current effect transistors.     

斯托纳粒子的磁矩翻转

文章根据朗道-利夫席茨-吉尔伯特（Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert）理论,介绍了斯托纳（Stoner）粒子（单个磁畴的磁性颗粒）磁矩翻转的相关理论.其中指出了有关磁矩翻转的斯托纳-沃尔法特（Wohlfarth）极限（SW极限）只有在阻尼系数无穷大时才是真正准确的.在此极限下,磁矩是沿着能量下降最快的路径翻转.最小的翻转磁场出现在当系统能量曲面中只有一个稳定的不动点的情形.文中还指出了对于一个给定的各向异性的磁体,阻尼系数存在一个临界值,超过它时,最小翻转磁场与SW极限是相同的.低于此临界值,最小翻转磁场可以小于SW极限.对于在有阻尼情况下的弹道式磁矩翻转,文中指出,施加的磁场方向应该处在一特定的方向内.这个方向窗口的宽度与阻尼系数和磁内能有关.对于一给定的磁内能,窗口的上下边界随着阻尼系数的增加而增加,窗口的宽度则随着阻尼系数的增加而呈振荡的变化.在没有阻尼和阻尼无穷大的极限下,窗口宽度变为零。     

Finite temperature simulation studies of spin–flop magnetic random access memory devices

Spin–flop structures are currently being developed for magnetic random access memory devices. We report simulation studies of this system. We found the switching involves an intermediate edge-pinned domain state, similar to that observed in the single layer case. This switching scenario is quite different from that based on the coherent rotation picture. A significant temperature dependence of the switching field is observed. Our result suggests that the interplane coupling and thus the switching field has to be above a finite threshold for the spin–flop switching to be better than conventional switching methods.     

All-optical magnetic recording with circularly polarized light

We experimentally demonstrate that the magnetization can be reversed in a reproducible manner by a single 40 femtosecond circularly polarized laser pulse, without any applied magnetic field. This optically induced ultrafast magnetization reversal previously believed impossible is the combined result of femtosecond laser heating of the magnetic system to just below the Curie point and circularly polarized light simultaneously acting as a magnetic field. The direction of this opto-magnetic switching is determined only by the helicity of light. This finding reveals an ultrafast and efficient pathway for writing magnetic bits at record-breaking speeds.     

Remagnetization of synthetic antiferromagnetic cells by a magnetic field pulse

The theory of the dynamic remagnetization of a synthetic antiferromagnetic system and magnetic points located on a magnetic substrate in an external magnetic field has been considered. The energies of the equilibrium states of the system have been calculated. The conditions of switching between equilibrium states have been described. The conditions of applicability of this theory have been formulated. It has been shown that the process of remagnetization can be implemented in an inertialess regime, escaping the long-term relaxation of the system to a new equilibrium position with the use of a special shape of the field signal. The possibility of the reduction of the switching field amplitude by varying the pulse duration has been demonstrated.     

Microwave-mediated magneto-optical trap for polar molecules

Realizing a molecular magneto-optical trap has been a dream for cold molecular physicists for a long time. However,due to the complex energy levels and the small effective Lande g-factor of the excited states, the traditional magneto-optical trap(MOT) scheme does not work very well for polar molecules. One way to overcome this problem is the switching MOT,which requires very fast switching of both the magnetic field and the laser polarizations. Switching laser polarizations is relatively easy, but fast switching of the magnetic field is experimentally challenging. Here we propose an alternative approach, the microwave-mediated MOT, which requires a slight change of the current experimental setup to solve the problem. We calculate the MOT force and compare it with the traditional MOT and the switching MOT scheme. The results show that we can operate a good MOT with this simple setup.     

Spectral analysis of the precessional switching of the magnetization in an isotropic thin film

We study how a magnetic field step triggers the precessional switching of the magnetization in an isotropic thin film. Using a variational approach, we make an analytical estimate of the switching frequency. We compare it to more general analytical models, and to the results obtained numerically by direct integration of the equations of motion. We show that the periodic motions of the three magnetization components can be described satisfactorily with truncated Fourier expansions, indicating a relatively high spectral purity of the magnetic response. Our analytical expressions are simple enough to be physically transparent at first sight, in contrast to the results of the more elaborate models that treat also anisotropy.     

Response of Mn overlayers on Fe to external magnetic fields: Electronic structure calculations

The behavior of Mn overlayers on Fe(0 0 1) under the influence of external magnetic fields is investigated. The electronic charge distribution, local magnetic moments as well as their couplings are determined as a function of the external field by solving self-consistently a tight binding Hamiltonian, parameterized to ab initio TBLMTO calculations. Our method allows to trace back the field-dependent average magnetization of the system to its electronic structure and magnetic configuration. We show how in the non-collinear framework the response of the system is markedly different to what is found in the collinear framework. If metastable magnetic configurations exist, the external field can be used for tuning the system between some of them because the system stays in some of those metastable states even after switching off the external field.     

Characterization of non-contact torque transfer and switching system for superconducting flywheel

Superconducting flywheel energy storage system can store the energy for a long duration, in that the main body of a flywheel is placed in a vacuum chamber to minimize rotational loss, and is separated from a generation motor. The superconducting flywheel device need a non-contact system which can transfer the rotational torque without contact. A combination of two permanent magnets can transmit the power without contact. We calculated the torque forces and the field distributions of two types of magnetic arrays; repulsive type and Halbach type. Both magnetic circuits have respective inner and outer diameters of 61.5 and 144 mm and consist of eight poles of Fe–Nd–B permanent magnets 30 mm in thickness. We also studied the effects of the number of poles and the size on the transferable torque forces and found that a practical torque transfer and switching systems can be constructed with a combination of permanent magnetic circuits.     

Phase diagrams for the precession states of the nanoparticle magnetization in a rotating magnetic field

Using the analytical and numerical solutions of the Landau–Lifshitz equation, we calculate the phase diagrams for the precession states of the nanoparticle magnetization in a rotating magnetic field. We show that there are three different scenarios for the magnetization switching. The bias magnetic field applied antiparallel to the nanoparticle magnetization strongly decreases the switching amplitudes and frequencies of the rotating field.     

Faster vortex core switching with lower current density using three-nanocontact spin-polarized currents in a confined structure

We perform micromagnetic simulations on the switching of magnetic vortex core by using spin-polarized currents through a three-nanocontact geometry. Our simulation results show that the current combination with an appropriate current flow direction destroys the symmetry of the total effective energy of the system so that the vortex core can be easier to excite,resulting in less critical current density and a faster switching process. Besides its fundamental significance, our findings provide an additional route to incorporating magnetic vortex phenomena into data storage devices.     

Phase-controlled all-optical switching based on coherent population oscillation in a two-level system

We theoretically propose a scheme of phase-controlled all-optical switching due to the effect of degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) and coherent population oscillation (CPO) in a two-level system driven by a strong coupling field and two weak symmetrically detuned fields. The results show that the phase of the FWM field can be utilized to switch between constructive and destructive interference, which can lead to the transmission or attenuation of the probe field and thus switch the field on or off. We also find the intensity of the coupling field and the propagation distance have great influence on the performance of the switching. In our scheme, due to the quick response in semiconductor systems, a fast all-optical switching can be realized at low light level.