Using a “pump and probe” technique, the time scale of spin relaxation effects in ferromagnetic thin films is investigated. Samples are excited by a 3 eV “pump” laser pulse $\left(\tau \approx 170\mathrm{fs}\right)$, and electrons are photoemitted by a 6 eV “probe” pulse, after delays ranging up to 1 ns. The spin polarization of the photoelectrons is measured using a Mott detector. The time dependence of the spin polarization of thin Ni films on Ag is explained in a local magnetic moment picture with two excitation processes. Stoner excitations are responsible for the reduction of the observed spin polarization on a time scale of 1 ps and phonon-magnon scattering leads to the loss of long range magnetic order on a time scale of 500 ps.

• Received 25 March 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.5146