Modeling ultrafast all-optical switching in synthetic ferrimagnets

Based on numerical simulations, we demonstrate thermally induced magnetic switching in synthetic ferrimagnets composed of multilayers of rare-earth and transition metals. Our findings show that deterministic magnetization reversal occurs above a certain threshold temperature if the ratio of transition-metal atoms to rare-earth atoms is sufficiently large. Surprisingly, the total thickness of the multilayer system has little effect on the occurrence of switching. We further provide a simple argument to explain the temperature dependence of the reversal process.