Spin wave resonance in yttrium iron garnet stripe domains

TL;DR

This paper investigates the magnetic stripe domains in yttrium iron garnet thin films, revealing complex magnon spectra influenced by domain structures and anisotropy, with implications for magnonic device applications.

Contribution

It provides a combined experimental and micromagnetic simulation study of domain-induced magnon spectra in yttrium iron garnet, emphasizing the role of cubic anisotropy.

Findings

Rich magnon spectra observed in stripe domains

Good agreement between simulations and experiments

Cubic anisotropy significantly influences domain and resonance behavior

Abstract

We study a thin film yttrium iron garnet sample that exhibits magnetic stripe domains due to a small perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Using wide-field magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements we reveal the domain pattern evolution as a function of applied field and discuss the role of the cubic anisotropy in the domain formation. Rich magnon spectra are observed in the stripe domain states, with a range of excitation conditions providing distinct spectra. The measurements are interpreted using micromagnetic simulations to provide the spatial profiles of each resonance mode. We further simulate domain patterns and resonance spectra accounting for the cubic anisotropy,with good correlation to experiment. This study highlights how non-collinear magnetic domain structures can host complex resonant behaviour in a low-damping magnetic material, with potential use in future magnonic applications.