Generalization of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation by multi-body contributions to Gilbert damping for non-collinear magnets

TL;DR

This paper extends the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation by incorporating multi-body scattering effects into the Gilbert damping tensor, accounting for complex magnetic interactions in non-collinear magnets.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic expansion of the Gilbert damping tensor based on electronic structure theory, including multi-body contributions and their dependence on magnetic moment configurations.

Findings

The damping tensor depends on scalar, anisotropic, and chiral products of magnetic moments.

Both damping-like and gyromagnetic ratio correction terms are influenced by multi-body interactions.

The model's predictions are validated using the Alexander-Anderson model and DFT calculations on magnetic adatoms.

Abstract

We propose a systematic and sequential expansion of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation utilizing the dependence of the Gilbert damping tensor on the angle between magnetic moments, which arises from multi-body scattering processes. The tensor consists of a damping-like term and a correction to the gyromagnetic ratio. Based on electronic structure theory, both terms are shown to depend on e.g. the scalar, anisotropic, vector-chiral and scalar-chiral products of magnetic moments: $\vec{e}_i\cdot\vec{e}_j$, $(\vec{n}_{ij}\cdot\vec{e}_i)(\vec{n}_{ij}\cdot\vec{e}_j)$, $\vec{n}_{ij}\cdot(\vec{e}_i\times\vec{e}_j)$, $(\vec{e}_i\cdot\vec{e}_j)^2$, $\vec{e}_i\cdot(\vec{e}_j\times\vec{e}_k)$..., where some terms are subjected to the spin-orbit field $\vec{n}_{ij}$ in first and second order. We explore the magnitude of the different contributions using both the Alexander-Anderson model and time-dependent density functional theory in magnetic adatoms and dimers deposited on Au(111) surface.