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Published on: June 8, 2018
Self-Induced Floquet States via Three-Wave Processes in Synthetic Antiferromagnets
Thibaut Devolder1, Joo-Von Kim1
1Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France.
Physical Review Letters
|May 11, 2026
Summary
We discovered a new way to create Floquet states in synthetic antiferromagnets using acoustic and optical modes. This method involves radio frequency fields, leading to unique magnetization oscillations and a frequency comb spectrum.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Quantum dynamics
- Magnetism
Background:
- Synthetic antiferromagnets exhibit complex dynamics involving acoustic and optical modes.
- Floquet states are exotic quantum states arising in periodically driven systems.
- Understanding mode interactions is key to controlling magnetic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel mechanism for inducing Floquet states in synthetic antiferromagnets.
- To explore the role of acoustic and optical modes in generating these states.
- To investigate the resulting magnetization dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Off-resonant radio frequency driving of optical modes in a canted antiferromagnetic state.
- Analysis of predator-prey dynamics between acoustic and optical mode populations.
- Characterization of time-periodic modulation and Floquet state generation.
Main Results:
- Observed limit cycles in mode populations due to predator-prey dynamics.
- Demonstrated time-periodic modulation of the canted antiferromagnetic state.
- Identified Floquet states manifesting as a frequency comb in magnetization oscillations.
Conclusions:
- A self-induced mechanism for generating Floquet states via coupled acoustic-optical modes in synthetic antiferromagnets has been established.
- Radio frequency driving provides a pathway to control and engineer these quantum states.
- The observed frequency comb spectrum offers a unique signature of the induced Floquet states.
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