Backscattering Raman spectroscopic investigations were performed on an yttrium-iron garnet single crystal using linearly and circularly polarized light. A terahertz (THz) magnon of the Kaplan-Kittel (KK) exchange resonance was discovered, which had been regarded as unobservable via optical methods. The KK exchange resonance had a 7.8-THz frequency at 80 K, and the polarization selection rule led to an antisymmetric Raman tensor of the $A_{ 2}$ mode. Moreover, the assignment of all the Raman-active phonon modes, $3A_{ 1g}$, $8E_{ g}$, and $14T_{ 2g}$, was proposed. This study will stimulate further investigation of the coupling of THz magnons and phonons and pave the way toward THz optomagnonics.
Categories: physics.optics cond-mat.mes-hall