Abstract
We report on the Cherenkov-type excitation of spin waves (SWs) in ferromagnets. Our micromagnetic simulations show that a localized magnetic field pulse moving sufficiently fast along the surface of a ferromagnet generates a SW boom, with a Mach-type cone of propagating wave fronts. The SWs are formed when the velocity of the source exceeds the propagation speed of SWs. Unlike the single cone of the usual Cherenkov effect, we find that the magnetic Mach cone consists of two wave fronts with different wave numbers. In patterned thin strips, this magnetic analog of the Cherenkov effect should enable the excitation of SWs with well-defined and velocity-dependent frequency. It thereby provides a promising route towards tunable SW generation, with important potential for applications in magnonic devices.
- Received 5 November 2012
- Revised 27 September 2013
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.220412
©2013 American Physical Society