The interaction between ultrafast lasers and magnetic materials is an appealing topic. It not only involves interesting fundamental questions that remain inconclusive and hence need further investigation, but also has the potential to revolutionize data storage technologies because such an opto-magnetic interaction provides an ultrafast and energy-efficient means to control magnetization. Fruitful progress has been made in this area over the past quarter century. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical studies on magnetization dynamics and switching in ferromagnetic materials that are induced by ultrafast lasers. We start by describing the physical mechanisms of ultrafast demagnetization based on different experimental observations and theoretical methods. Both the spin-flip scattering theory and the superdiffusive spin transport model will be discussed in detail. Then, we will discuss laser-induced torques and resultant magnetization dynamics in ferromagnetic materials. Recent developments of all-optical switching (AOS) of ferromagnetic materials towards ultrafast magnetic storage and memory will also be reviewed, followed by the perspectives on the challenges and future directions in this emerging area.

中文翻译：

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铁磁材料中磁序的超快速光学处理

超快激光与磁性材料之间的相互作用是一个吸引人的话题。它不仅涉及有趣的基本问题，这些问题尚无定论，因此需要进一步研究，而且具有革新数据存储技术的潜力，因为这种光-磁相互作用提供了控制磁化强度的超快且节能的方法。在过去的四分之一世纪中，该领域取得了丰硕的成果。在本文中，我们回顾了有关由超快激光诱导的铁磁材料中的磁化动力学和转换的最新实验和理论研究。我们将从描述基于不同实验观察结果和理论方法的超快退磁的物理机制开始。自旋翻转理论和超扩散自旋输运模型都将进行详细讨论。然后，我们将讨论激光诱导的转矩以及铁磁材料中的磁化动力学。还将回顾铁磁材料向超快速磁存储和存储器的全光交换（AOS）的最新发展，然后就此新兴领域中的挑战和未来方向发表观点。