Magnetization dynamics using ultrashort magnetic field pulses

Very short and well shaped magnetic field pulses can be generated using ultra-relativistic electron bunches at Stanford Linear Accelerator. These fields of several Tesla with duration of several picoseconds are used to study the response of magnetic materials to a very short excitation. Precession of a magnetic moment by 90 degrees in a field of 1 Tesla takes about 10 picoseconds, so we explore the range of fast switching of the magnetization by precession.