Direct observation and imaging of a spin-wave soliton with p-like symmetry

S. Bonetti, R. Kukreja, Z. Chen, F. Macià, J. M. Hernàndez, A. Eklund, D. Backes, J. Frisch, J. Katine, G. Malm, S. Urazhdin, A. D. Kent, J. Stöhr, H. Ohldag, H. A. Dürr

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Spin waves, the collective excitations of spins, can emerge as nonlinear solitons at the nanoscale when excited by an electrical current from a nanocontact. These solitons are expected to have essentially cylindrical symmetry (that is, s-like), but no direct experimental observation exists to confirm this picture. Using a high-sensitivity time-resolved magnetic X-ray microscopy with 50ps temporal resolution and 35nm spatial resolution, we are able to create a real-space spin-wave movie and observe the emergence of a localized soliton with a nodal line, that is, with p-like symmetry. Micromagnetic simulations explain the measurements and reveal that the symmetry of the soliton can be controlled by magnetic fields. Our results broaden the understanding of spin-wave dynamics at the nanoscale, with implications for the design of magnetic nanodevices.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Article number8889
    JournalNature communications
    Volume6
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Nov 16 2015

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Chemistry(all)
    • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
    • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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