Persistent ferromagnetic magnetization (M) as large as 0.6 μB per Mn site can be induced by irradiating visible laser pulses on a thin film of 1% Cr-doped Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3. The enhancement of M upon the photoexcitation was also confirmed by the scanning superconducting quantum interference device microscope as an increase of magnetic field from ferromagnetic domains. The observed photoinduced transition from a metastable charge/orbital ordered state into a ferromagnetic one is likely to be assisted by the microscopic phase separation characteristic of such a relaxor ferromagnet as the present Cr-doped manganite.

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