The discovery of all-optical ultrafast deterministic magnetization switching has opened up new possibilities for manipulating magnetization in devices using femtosecond laser pulses. Previous studies on single pulse all-optical helicity-independent switching (AO-HIS) have mainly focused on perpendicularly magnetized thin films. This work presents a comprehensive study on AO-HIS for in-plane magnetized ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{Co}}_{100-\mathrm{x}}$ thin films. Deterministic single femtosecond laser pulse toggle magnetization switching is demonstrated in a wider concentration range $(x=10-25\%)$ compared to the perpendicularly magnetized counterparts with GdCo thicknesses up to 30 nm. The switching time strongly depends on the ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{Co}}_{100-\mathrm{x}}$ concentration, with lower Gd concentration exhibiting shorter switching times (less than 500 fs). Our findings in this geometry provide insights into the underlying mechanisms governing single pulse AO-HIS, which challenge existing theoretical predictions. Moreover, in-plane magnetized ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{Co}}_{100-\mathrm{x}}$ thin films offer extended potential for optospintronic applications compared to their perpendicular magnetized counterparts.

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• Magnetism
• Magnetization switching
• Photoinduced effect
• Ultrafast magnetic effects
• Ultrafast magnetization dynamics