Animated simulations of spin waves can be found on YouTube.The simulation of magnetic nanocontacts shows how spin waves spread like rings on water. Here the nanocontact has a diameter of 40 nanometre and the spin waves are created in a thin film of nickel-iron alloy, 3 nanometre thick.

“We have been in competition with two other research groups to be the first to confirm experimentally theoretical predictions that were first made nearly 10 years ago," says Professor Johan Åkerman Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, where he is head of the Applied Spintronics group.

"We have been successful due to our method for constructing magnetic nano contacts and due to the special microscope at our collaborators’ laboratory at the University of Perugia in Italy.”

The aim of the research project, published in Nature Nanotechnology started two years ago, and has been to demonstrate the propagation of spin waves from magnetic nanocontacts.

Last autumn, the group was able to demonstrate the existence of spin waves with the aid of electrical measurements, and the results were published in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters.

The research group has used one of the three only advanced spin wave Brillouin light scattering (BLS left) spectroscopy equipment in the world, at Perugia University to visualise the motion.

The microscope makes it possible to see the dynamic properties of the components with a resolution of approximately 250 nanometre. The results  open the way for th new research field of research  “magnonics”, or using nanoscale magnetic waves.

“I believe that our results will signal the start of a rapid development of magnonic components and circuits. What is particularly exciting is that these components are powered by simple direct current, which is then converted into spin waves in the microwave region.

"The frequency of these waves can be directly controlled by the current. This will make completely new functions possible”, says Åkerman, who is looking forward to exciting developments in the next few years.

"Its magneto-optical and metallic properties mean that magnonic technology can be integrated with traditional microwave-based electronic circuits, and this will make completely untried combinations of the technologies possible. Magnonic components are much more suitable for miniaturisation than traditional microwave technology."