Directly probing spin dynamics in insulating antiferromagnets using ultrashort terahertz pulses

We investigate spin dynamics in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) multiferroic TbMnO3 using optical- pump, terahertz (THz)-probe spectroscopy. Photoexcitation results in a broadband THz transmission change, with an onset time of 25 ps at 6 K that becomes faster at higher temperatures. We attribute this time constant to spin-lattice thermalization. The excellent agreement between our measurements and previous ultrafast resonant x-ray diffraction measurements on the same material confirms that our THz pulse directly probes spin order. We suggest that this could be the case in general for insulating AFM materials, if the origin of the static absorption in the THz spectral range is magnetic.