IOP Publishing, Chinese Physics Letters, 12(26), p. 127501, 2009
DOI: 10.1088/0256-307x/26/12/127501
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We have studied the influence of laser illumination on the magnetization in multiferroic YbFe2O4 single crystals. A photoinduced magnetization change has been confirmed in both ab plane and c axis direction. The temperature dependence of the photoinduced magnetization reduction excludes laser heating as the cause. In terms of the breakdown of charge order driven by laser illumination, the photoinduced magnetization change provides a strong evidence for the spin-charge coupling in YbFe2O4. This photomagnetic effect based on charge-order-induced multiferroicity could be used for non-thermal optical control of magnetization. ; Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures