- Letter
Correlation between exciton dynamics and spin structure in the van der Waals antiferromagnet
Phys. Rev. B 112, L220413 – Published 26 December, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/nl4q-ghdg
Abstract
The emerging magnetic van der Waals (vdW) materials provide a platform for exploring novel physics regarding magnetism in low dimensions and developing ultrathin spintronic applications. Here, we investigate the ultrafast dynamics of excitons in a vdW crystal. The temporal evolution of the transient reflection spectra indicates that the spin-correlated exciton is formed through photocarrier localization, the rate of which is independent of the magnetic degrees of freedom. However, the recombination rate of these excitons correlates with the long-range magnetic order, likely arising from a spin-flip rooted in the underlying antiferromagnetic background during the recombination. Our findings uncover intertwined coupling between carrier, lattice, and spin degrees of freedom in , which may pave the path toward ultrafast optical manipulation of spin-related quantum states in vdW antiferromagnets.