  The effect of picosecond acoustic strain pulses (ps-ASP) on a thin layer of
(Ga,Mn)As co-doped with phosphorus was probed using magneto-optical Kerr effect
(MOKE). A transient MOKE signal followed by low amplitude oscillations was
evidenced, with a strong dependence on applied magnetic field, temperature and
ps-ASP amplitude. Careful interferometric measurement of the layer's thickness
variation induced by the ps-ASP allowed us to model very accurately the
resulting signal, and interpret it as the strain modulated reflectivity
(differing for $\sigma_{\pm}$ probe polarizations), independently from dynamic
magnetization effects.

Materials Science;Other Condensed Matter