Two-dimensional materials offer a unique platform for the ultrafast control of spin and magnetization—a prerequisite for next-generation spintronic devices. Their ultrathin nature ensures that external stimuli exert a large influence on material properties compared to bulk systems. Furthermore, the strong intercoupling of different quasiparticles in these systems unlocks novel functionalities.

Within the Research Center on Ultrafast Magnetization Dynamics, we are pioneering methods to investigate magnetization dynamics in 2D materials and heterostructures. We use time-dependent electric fields and mechanical strain as ultrafast "control knobs" to manipulate these systems. Our research focuses on:

• Ultrafast transport of coupled spin and valley degrees of freedom in 2D heterostructures.
• Novel approaches combining ultrafast optical and transport probing techniques.
• Electrical and strain-based control of magnons and their transport in 2D magnetic materials.
• Floquet-type phenomena for magnons driven by periodic electric and strain fields.
• Dynamics and transport of orbital magnetization.

We aim to translate these phenomena into potential applications, including strain-tunable THz emitters based on valley pseudospin and devices such as magnon phase shifters.

Key publications:

[1] Kumar et al., Nano Letters 25, 15164 (2025).

[2] Mittenzwey et al., PRL 134, 026901 (2025).

[3] Stetzuhn et al., arXiv:2506.02185 (2025).