THz-Scale Field-Induced Spin Dynamics in Ferrimagnetic Iron Garnets

THz magnetization dynamics of antiferromagnetically coupled spins in ferrimagnetic Tm3 Fe5O12 is excited by a picosecond single-cycle pulse of a magnetic field and probed with the help of the magneto-optical Faraday effect. Data analysis combined with numerical modeling shows that the dynamics corresponds to the exchange mode excited by the Zeeman interaction of the THz magnetic field with the spins. We argue that THz-pump–IR-probe experiments on ferrimagnets offer a unique tool for quantitative studies of dynamics and mechanisms to control antiferromagnetically coupled spins.