Dynamics of spin and orbital phase transitions in YVO3.
YVO3 exhibits a well separated sequence of orbital and spin order transitions at 200 and 116 K, followed by a combined spin-orbital reorientation at 77 K. It is shown that the spin order can be destroyed by a sufficiently strong optical pulse within less than 4 ps. In contrast, the orbital reordering transition from C-type to G-type orbital order is slower than 100 ps and goes via an intermediate nonthermal phase. We propose that the dynamics of phase transitions is subjected to symmetry relations between the associated phases.
Mazurenko
Dmitry A
DA
Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands. D.A.Mazurenko@rug.nl
Nugroho
Agung A
AA
Palstra
Thomas T M
TT
van Loosdrecht
Paul H M
PH