Spin-piston problem for a ferromagnetic thin film: Shock waves and solitons

Journal Article · Thu Mar 17 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Physical Review. B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.105.104419· OSTI ID:1979729

Hu, Mingyu ^[1]; Iacocca, Ezio ^[2]; Hoefer, Mark A. ^[2]

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1. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); OSTI
2. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

In this report the unsteady, nonlinear magnetization dynamics induced by spin injection in an easy-plane ferromagnetic channel subject to an external magnetic field are studied analytically. Leveraging a dispersive hydrodynamic description, the Landau-Lifshitz equation is recast in terms of hydrodynamic-like variables for the magnetization's perpendicular component (spin density) and azimuthal phase gradient (fluid velocity). Spin injection acts as a moving piston that generates nonlinear, dynamical spin textures in the ferromagnetic channel with downstream quiescent spin density set by the external field. In contrast to the classical problem of a piston accelerating a compressible gas, here, variable spin injection and field lead to a rich variety of nonlinear wave phenomena from oscillatory spin shocks to solitons and rarefaction (expansion) waves. A full classification of solutions is provided using nonlinear wave modulation theory by identifying two key aspects of the fluid-like dynamics: subsonic/supersonic conditions and convex/nonconvex hydrodynamic flux. Familiar waveforms from the classical piston problem such as rarefaction waves and shocks manifest in their spin-based counterparts as smooth and highly oscillatory transitions, respectively, between two distinct magnetic states. The spin shock is an example of a dispersive shock wave, which arises in many physical systems. New features without a gas dynamics counterpart include composite wave complexes with “contact” spin shocks and rarefactions. Magnetic supersonic conditions lead to two pronounced piston edge behaviors including a stationary soliton and an oscillatory wave train. These coherent wave structures have physical implications for the generation of high frequency spin waves from pulsed injection and persistent, stable stationary and/or propagating solitons in the presence of magnetic damping. The analytical results are favorably compared with numerical simulations.

• Research Organization: University of California, San Diego, CA (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0018237
• OSTI ID: 1979729
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Journal Name: Physical Review. B Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 105; ISSN 2469-9950
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Magnetization Dynamics
coherent structures
ferromagnets
hydrodynamics
micromagnetic modeling
nonlinear waves
solitons
spin texture