Probing the spinor nature of electronic states in nanosize non-collinear magnets.

Non-collinear magnetization textures provide a route to novel device concepts in spintronics. These applications require laterally confined non-collinear magnets (NCM). A crucial aspect for potential applications is how the spatial proximity between the NCM and vacuum or another material impacts the magnetization texture on the nanoscale.

Interface electronic complexes and Landau damping of magnons in ultrathin magnets.

The damping of magnons in ultrathin metallic magnets is studied from first-principles. We contrast Fe/Cu(100) and Fe/W(110) systems for which the influence of the substrate on the magnon life time differs strongly. We introduce the concept of Landau map in momentum space to assess the role of different electronic states in the attenuation.

Standing spin waves as a basis for the control of terahertz spin dynamics: time dependent density functional theory study.

We report on the linear response density functional study of the magnetization dynamics in Co(100) film driven by a nonuniform magnetic field. At resonant frequencies in the terahertz range, the magnetic field excites standing spin waves of the system and the induced magnetization penetrates the whole volume of the film. The pattern of magnetization precession is strongly influenced by the spin-flip excitations of single electrons which lead to the Landau damping of the spin-wave modes.

Energies and lifetimes of magnons in complex ferromagnets: a first-principle study of Heusler alloys.

The energies and lifetimes of magnons in several Mn-based Heusler alloys are studied using linear response density functional theory. The number of the spin wave branches in Co(2)MnSi corresponds to the number of its magnetic sublattices in contrast with the NiMnSb case in which the induced Ni sublattice cannot support optical magnons. The half-metallicity of these systems results in long-living acoustic spin waves.

Challenge of magnetism in strongly correlated open-shell 2p systems.

We report on theoretical investigations of the exotic magnetism in rubidium sesquioxide Rb4O6, a model correlated system with an open 2p shell. Experimental investigations indicated that Rb4O6 is a magnetically frustrated insulator. The frustration is explained here by electronic structure calculations that incorporate the correlation between the oxygen 2p electrons and deal with the mixed-valent oxygen.