M. Guimaraes: Spin and Magnetism Dynamics in Layered Materials

The family of layered materials provide crystals with a wide range of optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. During this talk I will show how new physical phenomena can be explored due to the large variety of properties of these materials and how they can give rise to new technological applications. A special class of these materials, composed of a transition metal and a chalcogen atom (e.g. WSe2), are particularly attractive for optical applications due to their bandgap in the visible range. I will describe how an interesting coupling between different electronic degrees of freedom can arise in these materials due to their crystal symmetry and high spin-orbit interaction. This coupling allows us to optically generate and study the dynamics of a spin accumulation using time-resolved optical techniques. With that we can unveil the different relaxation mechanisms that are into play and indicate how one could design improved spintronic devices based on layered materials.

Finally, I will also present our recent research efforts in layered materials with magnetic ordering and how their dynamic properties can be studied using electrical and optical means.