This project, new in the 2nd funding period of the TRR 227, investigates spin-lattice interactions on femtosecond time scales by ultrafast probingof the atomic structure of various ferro- and antiferromagnets. Electron and X-ray scattering techniques are used to access ultrafast length and shape changes of the unit cell as well as the dynamics of coherent and incoherent atomic vibrations in excited magnets. Addressing the knowledge gap on spin-lattice interaction and its role in ultrafast spin dynamics, the project will measure the ultrafast energy flow between the lattice, spins and electrons, reveal the dynamics of magnetically induced lattice distortions, and study spin-lattice coupling across heterostructure interfaces.

Publications (2^nd Funding Period 2022 - 2025)

• Non-thermal electrons open the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh
  M. Mattern, S. P. Zeuschner, M. Rössle, J. A. Arregi, V. Uhlíř, and M. Bargheer
  Commun. Phys. 8, 140 (2025) - DOI: 10.1038/s42005-025-02066-5

• Momentum-resolved signatures of carrier screening effects on electron–phonon coupling in MoS2
  Y. Pan, P. -N. Hildebrandt, D. Zahn, M. Zacharias, Y. W. Windsor, R. Ernstofer, F. Caruso, and H. Seiler
  ACS Nano 19, 11, 11381-11389 (2025) - DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c00744

• Element-specific ultrafast lattice dynamics in monolayer WSe2
  H. Jung, S. Dong, D. Zahn, T. Vasileiadis, H. Seiler, R. Schneider, S. Michaelis de Vasconcellos, V.C.A. Taylor, R. Bratschitsch, R. Ernstorfer, and Y.W. Windsor
  Nano Lett. 2024, 24, 43, 13671–13677 (2024)  - DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c03611

• Controlling effective field contributions to laser-induced magnetization precession by heterostructure design
  J. Jarecki, M. Mattern, F.-C. Weber, J.-E. Pudell, X.-G. Wang, J.-C. Rojas Sánchez, M. Hehn, A. von Reppert, and M. Bargheer  
  Commun. Phys. 7: 112 (2024)  - DOI: 10.1038/s42005-024-01602-z

• Controlling 4f antiferromagnetic dynamics via itinerant electronic susceptibility 
  S.-E. Lee, Y. W. Windsor, D. Zahn, A. Kraiker, K. Kummer, K. Kliemt, C. Krellner, C. Schüßler-Langeheine, N. Pontius, U. Staub, D. V. Vyalikh, A. Ernst, and L. Rettig 
  Phys. Rev. Research 6, 043019 (2024) - DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.043019

• Accelerating the laser-induced phase transition in nanostructured FeRh via plasmonic absorption
  M. Mattern, J.-E. Pudell, J. A. Arregi, J. Zlámal, R. Kalousek, V. Uhlíř, M. Rössle, and M. Bargheer  
  Adv. Funct. Mater. 34, 2313014 (2024)  - DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202313014
• Coherent control of magnetization precession by double-pulse activation of effective fields from magnetoacoustics and demagnetization
  M. Mattern, F.-C. Weber, D. Engel, C. von Korff Schmising, and M. Bargheer  
  Appl. Phys. Lett. 124, 102402 (2024)  - DOI: 10.1063/5.0186855
• Speed limits of the laser-induced phase transition in FeRh 
  M. Mattern, J. Jarecki, J. A. Arregi, V. Uhlíř, M. Rössle, and M. Bargheer 
  APL Materials 12, 051124 (2024) - DOI: 10.1063/5.0206095

• Concepts and use cases for picosecond ultrasonics with x-rays
  M. Mattern, A. von Reppert, S.P. Zeuschner, M. Herzog, J.-E. Pudell, and M. Bargheer 
  Photoacoustics 31, 100503 (2023) - DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2023.100503
• Towards shaping picosecond strain pulses via magnetostrictive transducers 
  M. Mattern, J.-E. Pudell, K. Dumesnil, A. von Reppert, and M. Bargheer 
  Photoacoustics 30, 100463 (2023)  - DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2023.100463

• Emission of coherent THz magnons in an antiferromagnetic insulator triggered by ultrafast spin–phonon interactions
  E. Rongione, O. Gueckstock, M. Mattern, O. Gomonay, H. Meer, C. Schmitt, R. Ramos, T. Kikkawa, M. Mičica, E. Saitoh, J. Sinova, H. Jaffrès, J. Mangeney, S. T. B. Goennenwein, S. Geprägs, T. Kampfrath, M. Kläui, M. Bargheer, T. S. Seifert, S. Dhillon, and R. Lebrun 
  Nat. Commun. 14, 1818 (2023) - DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37509-6

• Direct observation of ultrafast lattice distortions during exciton–polaron formation in lead halide perovskite nanocrystals 
  H. Seiler, D. Zahn, V. C. A. Taylor, M. I. Bodnarchuk, Y. W. Windsor, M. V. Kovalenko, and R. Ernstorfer  
  ACS Nano 17, 1979 (2023)  - DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06727

• Robust magnetic order upon ultrafast excitation of an antiferromagnet 
  S.-E. Lee, Y. W. Windsor, A. Fedorov, K. Kliemt, C. Krellner, C. Schüßler-Langeheine, N. Pontius, M. Wolf, U. Atxitia, D. V. Vyalikh, and L. Rettig 
  Adv. Mater. Interfaces 9, 2201340 (2022)  - DOI: 10.1002/admi.202201340

• Electronic energy transport in nanoscale Au/Fe hetero-structures in the perspective of ultrafast lattice dynamics 
  M. Mattern, A. von Reppert, S. P. Zeuschner, J.-E. Pudell, F. Kühne, D. Diesing, M. Herzog, and M. Bargheer 
  Appl. Phys. Lett. 120, 092401 (2022)  - DOI: 10.1063/5.0080378

• Exchange scaling of ultrafast angular momentum transfer in 4f antiferromagnets
  Y.W. Windsor, S.-E. Lee, D. Zahn, V. Borisov, D. Thonig, K. Kliemt, A. Ernst, C. Schüßler-Langeheine, N. Pontius, U. Staub, C. Krellner, D.V. Vyalikh, O. Eriksson, and L. Rettig 
  Nat. Mater. 21, 514 (2022) - DOI: 10.1038/s41563-022-01206-4

• Intrinsic energy flow in laser-excited 3d ferromagnets 
  D. Zahn, F. Jakobs, H. Seiler, T. A. Butcher, D. Engel, J. Vorberger, U. Atxitia, Y. W. Windsor, and R. Ernstorfer 
  Phys. Rev. Res. 4, 013104 (2022)  - DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013104

• Standing spin wave excitation in Bi: YIG films via temperature-induced anisotropy changes and magneto-elastic coupling 
  S. P. Zeuschner, X.-G. Wang, M. Deb, E. Popova, G. Malinowski, M. Hehn, N. Keller, J. Berakdar, and M. Bargheer 
  Phys. Rev. B 106, 134401 (2022)  - DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.106.134401