Ultrafast light-induced long-range antiferromagnetic correlations in paramagnets

We propose and analyze a laser-driven protocol to generate long-range ordered patterns in paramagnets, based on nonadiabatically driven aggregation dynamics. We derive the optimal driving parameters that maximize, respectively, the correlation length or the size of defect-free antiferromagnetic clusters in a one-dimensional chain. We show that one can reach correlation lengths that are exponentially larger than those achieved by adiabatic pumping schemes. The resonantly driven dynamics of cluster fronts are shown to map to an exactly solvable model of free fermions.