Ultrafast Terahertz Field Control of the Emergent Magnetic and Electronic Interactions at Oxide Interfaces

Abstract Ultrafast electric‐field control of emergent electronic and magnetic states at oxide interfaces offers exciting prospects for the development of the next generation of energy‐efficient devices. Here, it is demonstrated that the electronic structure and emergent ferromagnetic interfacial state in epitaxial LaNiO 3 /CaMnO 3 superlattices can be effectively controlled using intense, single‐cycle THz electric‐field pulses. A suite of advanced X‐ray spectroscopic techniques is employed to measure a detailed magneto‐optical profile and the thickness of the ferromagnetic interfacial layer. Then, a combination of time‐resolved and temperature‐dependent optical measurements is used to disentangle several correlated electronic and magnetic processes driven by ultrafast, high‐field THz pulses. Sub‐picosecond non‐equilibrium Joule heating of the electronic system is observed, ultrafast demagnetization of the ferromagnetic interfacial layer, and slower dynamics indicative of a change in the magnetic state of the superlattice due to the transfer of spin‐angular momentum to the lattice. These findings suggest a promising avenue for the efficient control of 2D ferromagnetic states at oxide interfaces using ultrafast electric‐field pulses.