Ultrafast phase separation dynamics in La0.875Sr0.125MnO3single crystals

The transient photoinduced reflectivity and the transient photoinduced magnetooptical Kerr angle were measured in a La${}_{0.875}$Sr${}_{0.125}$MnO${}_3$ single crystal as functions of temperature. A separate photoinduced transient ferromagnetic phase is found to form within the pseudocubic low-temperature insulating ferromagnetic phase after photoexcitation. The characteristic time of transient phase formation is on the order of 10 ps. The similarity with Pr${}_{0.6}$Ca${}_{0.4}$MnO${}_3$ indicates that the photoinduced transient ferromagnetic phase is a general property of the insulating ferromagnetic state in colossal-magnetoresistive manganites. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.113103 ©2011 American Physical Society