  We performed time-resolved pump--probe measurements using rare-earth iron
garnet \ce{Gd3/2Yb1/2BiFe5O12} as a two-sublattice ferrimagnet. We measured the
initial phases of the magnetic resonance modes below and above the
magnetization compensation temperature to clarify the sublattice selectivity of
the inverse Faraday effect in ferrimagnets. A comparison of the time evolution
of magnetization estimated using the equations of motion revealed that the
inverse Faraday effect occurring in ferrimagnetic materials has sublattice
selectivity. This is in striking contrast to antiferromagnets, in which the
inverse Faraday effect acts on each sublattice identically. The initial phase
analysis can be applied to other ferrimagnets with compensation temperatures.
