Manipulating magnets with light: photoinduced magnetism of cobalt–iron Prussian blue analogs

An overview of the magnetic properties and photoinduced magnetism of cobalt–iron Prussian blue analogs is given. The presented results for K1−2xCo1+x[Fe(CN)6]·yH2O (0.2⩽x⩽0.4, y∼5) indicate that the materials are in a cluster glass state. Upon illumination with visible light, the materials exhibit substantial changes in magnetization, linear and nonlinear ac susceptibilities, characteristic temperatures and magnetic hysteresis. The results are consistent with our model of photoinduced spin-doping of a cluster glass.