Nanosecond study of spin state transition induced by a single nanosecond laser shot on [Fe(NH2trz)3] compounds inside and outside their thermal hysteresis loops

Abstract We show that the combination of a free running 80 MHz femtosecond Ti–sapphire oscillator with a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser makes it possible to record in real time, with a nanosecond time resolution, reversible or irreversible phase transitions photo-induced by a single laser pulse. This set-up is used to study the spin state transition photo-induced inside and outside the thermal hysteresis loops of a series of [Fe(NH 2 trz) 3 ]X 2 · n H 2 O compounds (with X = NO 3 and Br). Original dynamics are presented and discussed. The results indicate that at room temperature, it is the laser induced heating that drives the recorded photo-induced phase transition.