We use time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to probe the electronic and magnetization dynamics in FeRh films after ultrafast laser excitations. We present experimental and theoretical results which investigate the electronic structure of FeRh during the first-order phase transition, identifying a clear signature of the magnetic phase. We find that a spin polarized feature at the Fermi edge is a fingerprint of the magnetic status of the system that is independent of the long-range ferromagnetic alignment of the magnetic domains. We use this feature to follow the phase transition induced by a laser pulse in a pump-probe experiment and find that the magnetic transition occurs in less than 50 ps and reaches its maximum in 100 ps.

CEITEC BUT Brno University of Technology Purkyňova 123 612 00 Brno Czech Republic

Center for Memory and Recording Research University of California San Diego La Jolla California 92093 0401 USA

Instituto Officina dei Materiali CNR Laboratorio TASC in Area Science Park S S 14 Km 163 5 I34149 Trieste Italy

Synchrotron SOLEIL Saint Aubin BP 48 F 91192 Gif sur Yvette Cedex France

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Subpicosecond metamagnetic phase transition in FeRh driven by non-equilibrium electron dynamics