Magnonic Crystal with Two-Dimensional Periodicity as a Waveguide for Spin Waves

Abstract: We describe a simple method of including dissipation in the spin wave band structure of a periodic ferromagnetic composite, by solving the Landau-Lifshitz equation for the magnetization with the Gilbert damping term. We use this approach to calculate the band structure of square and triangular arrays of Ni nanocylinders embedded in an Fe host. The results show that there are certain bands and special directions in the Brillouin zone where the spin wave lifetime is increased by more than an order of magnitude above its average value. Thus, it may be possible to generate spin waves in such composites decay especially slowly, and propagate especially large distances, for certain frequencies and directions in ${\bf k}$-space.