SpinWaveToolkit: Python package for (semi-)analytical calculations in the field of spin-wave physics

TL;DR

SpinWaveToolkit is an open-source Python package that enables fast, semi-analytical modeling and simulation of spin-wave dynamics and Brillouin light scattering spectra in magnetic thin films, aiding research and experimental design.

Contribution

It introduces a versatile Python toolkit combining analytical and semi-analytical models for spin-wave physics with validated, efficient simulations of BLS spectra, significantly reducing computation time.

Findings

Excellent agreement with finite-element simulations

Reduces computation times by nearly two orders of magnitude

Facilitates exploration and fitting of spin-wave parameters

Abstract

We present an open-source Python package, SpinWaveToolkit (SWT), for (semi-)analytical modeling of spin-wave dynamics in thin ferromagnetic films and exchange-coupled magnetic bilayers. SWT combines analytical models based on the Kalinikos-Slavin theory with a semi-analytical dynamic-matrix approach, enabling the calculation of dispersion relations, group velocities, decay lengths, mode profiles, and static equilibrium magnetization states. In addition, SWT implements a quantitative model of micro-focused Brillouin light scattering (BLS) that incorporates vectorial optical focusing, spin-wave Bloch functions, magneto-optical coupling, and Green-function propagation to simulate experimentally measured BLS spectra. The package is validated against finite-element dynamic-matrix simulations performed with TetraX for Damon-Eshbach, backward-volume, forward-volume, and oblique-field geometries, showing excellent agreement while reducing computation times by nearly two orders of magnitude in comparison to the numerical simulations. Thanks to the easiness of the use and fast calculation times, SWT can be used not only for exploratory mapping of the parameter space, but also for the fitting of the measured dispersion relations and related parameters. Thus, it provides a versatile and efficient framework for experiment design, interpretation, and parameter optimization for magnonics research.