Spin Dynamics, Altermagnetism, and Magnonics in Thin Films
This community investigates the fundamental physics of magnetic order and spin transport in thin films, with a specific focus on the emerging field of altermagnetism and the manipulation of spin waves (magnons).
The work centers on the synthesis and characterization of magnetic materials, particularly yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and other garnet films, to study phenomena such as spin-orbit torque, spin pumping, and the anomalous Hall effect. A significant portion of the research addresses altermagnetism, a magnetic phase distinct from conventional ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, examining its spin splitting, band structures, and manipulation via strain or crystal symmetry. The community also explores practical applications in spintronics, including magnetic tunnel junctions, spin-wave filters for communication, and magnon-based quantum devices. Methods frequently involve ferromagnetic resonance, magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, and the engineering of chiral magnetic structures to control spin currents at the nanoscale.
The largest share of the community's output is found in iron research, accounting for 1.5% of all iron research, and 5,972 papers here. Yttrium research follows with a 3.8% share, comprising 4,005 papers.
The community comprises 23,612 papers, publishing most frequently in the Journal of Applied Physics, Applied Physics Letters, and the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials.
Recent work continues to focus on altermagnetic materials, including studies on tuning altermagnetism via strain, ferroelastic altermagnetism, and all-electric control in heterostructures, alongside developments in spin-wave band-pass filters for 6G communication and magnon squeezing in the quantum regime.