Spin Inertia as a Source of Topological Magnons: Chiral Edge States from Coupled Precession and Nutation

Abstract: Spin inertia has been demonstrated to give rise to high-frequency nutational excitations beyond the conventional low-frequency precessional modes. Here, we demonstrate that the hybridization between precessional and nutational magnons may give rise to topological phenomena in the spin-wave spectrum. This hybridization requires the presence of interactions breaking angular-momentum conservation, such as the pseudodipolar interaction. We show on the example of a honeycomb ferromagnet how topological gaps open between the precessional and nutational bands that host chiral edge states in slab geometries. Our work establishes a theoretical foundation for exploring inertial spin dynamics as a new route to engineer topological phases in magnetic materials.