Magnonics in collinear magnetic insulating systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent theoretical and experimental progress in magnonics within collinear magnetic insulators, highlighting their potential for energy-efficient information processing through long-distance spin wave propagation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the quantum theory, spin and heat transport phenomena, and experimental techniques related to magnons in collinear magnetic insulating systems.

Findings

Magnons can propagate over long distances in insulating systems.

Spin and heat transport are influenced by coupled coherent and incoherent spin dynamics.

Experimental techniques like NV-center relaxometry are effective in probing magnetization dynamics.

Abstract

In the last decades, collinear magnetic insulating systems have emerged as promising energy-saving information carriers. Their elementary collective spin excitations, i.e., magnons, can propagate for long distances bypassing the Joule heating effects that arise from electron scattering in metal-based devices. This tutorial article provides an introduction to theoretical and experimental advances in the study of magnonics in collinear magnetic insulating systems. We start by outlining the quantum theory of spin waves in ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems and we discuss their quantum statistics. We review the phenomenology of spin and heat transport of the coupled coherent and incoherent spin dynamics and the interplay between magnetic excitations and lattice degrees of freedom. Finally, we introduce the reader to the key ingredients of two experimental probes of magnetization dynamics, spin transport and NV-center relaxometry setups, and discuss experimental findings relevant to the outlined theory.