Terahertz radiation from coherent antiferromagnetic magnons excited by femtosecond laser pulses

We report on the observation of terahertz (THz) radiation emitted from antiferromagnetic (AFM) single-crystal nickel oxide irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses. Periodic oscillations observed in the THz waveforms are assigned to the radiation from coherent AFM magnons excited by the laser pulses. Impulsive stimulated Raman scattering process is a possible mechanism of the coherent AFM magnon excitation by the laser pulses. The excited magnons in NiO generate THz waves by magnetic dipole radiation, which is the inverse process of AFM resonance absorption of THz waves. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3436635]