PHYSICAL REVIEW B VOLUME 60, NUMBER 10 1 SEPTEMBER 1999-II

Extrinsic contributions to the ferromagnetic resonance response of ultrathin films

Rodrigo Arias and D. L. Mills
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
共Received 5 May 1999兲
We develop a theory of the extrinsic contributions to the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth and frequency
shift of ultrathin films. The basic mechanism is two magnon scattering by defects at surfaces and interfaces. In
the presence of dipolar couplings between spins in the film, one realizes short wavelength spin waves degen-
erate with the ferromagnetic resonance 共FMR兲 mode, provided the magnetization is parallel to the film sur-
faces. Defects on the surface or interface thus scatter the FMR mode into such short wavelength spin waves,
producing a dephasing contribution to the linewidth, and a frequency shift of the resonance field. The mecha-
nism described here is inoperative when the magnetization is perpendicular to the film.
关S0163-1829共99兲03134-3兴

I. INTRODUCTION FMR mode, for ultrathin films of the ferromagnetic transition

There is currently great interest in the physical properties
of ultrathin 共very few atomic layer兲 ferromagnetic films, and
magnetic multilayers formed from such spins. While very
considerable attention is devoted to transport properties in
such structures, because of applications to magnetic record-
ing and data storage, in fact the microwave response of these
systems is of great interest as well. Studies of the ferromag-
netic resonance 共FMR兲 spectrum are a rich source of infor-
mation on the unique anisotropies found in these materials,1,2
and other physical properties as well. Furthermore, hybrid
structures formed by depositing ferromagnetic films or mul-
tilayers on semiconducting substrates may form the basis for
high-frequency microwave devices.3
Rather little attention has been directed toward the origin
of the FMR linewidth in the ultrathin films. In bulk crystal-
line Fe, one observes an intrinsic contribution which varies
linearly with the FMR frequency.4,5 That this should be the
case is a prediction of the phenomenological Landau-Lifshitz
equations. If this contribution has its microscopic origin in
the coupling between spin motions, and the itinerant elec-
trons in Fe, one may argue the linear frequency dependence
follows from very general considerations in this low-
frequency regime. In the ultrathin films, the analysis of FMR
data1,6 shows the presence of a linear term, often with slope
larger than that found in single-crystal Fe. In addition, ex-
trapolation to zero frequency yields a rather substantive
‘‘zero-frequency linewidth,’’ with evident origin in surface
or interface quality.1,6
In this paper, we develop a theory of the extrinsic line-
width of ultrathin ferromagnetic films, based on the follow-
ing picture. In the idealized FMR experiment, a uniform
mode is excited whose wave vector kជ 储 parallel to the surface
is zero. For a simple film with magnetization M ជ s parallel to
the surface, the frequency of this mode 共in the absence of
anisotropy兲 is ␥ 关 H o (H o ⫹4 ␲ M s ) 兴 1/2, with ␥ the gyromag-
netic ratio and M s the magnetization. We show below, as
discussed by earlier authors,7 that in the presence of dipolar
couplings between spins, we have short wavelength spin
waves with wavelength k 储 ⯝105 cm⫺1 degenerate with the
metals. Defects in the surface, modeled below, scatter energy
from the uniform mode to these states, thus producing relax-
ation of dephasing character. We find, in the analysis pre-
sented here, a defect induced frequency shift as well.
The notion that such a two magnon process controls the
extrinsic linewidth is by no means new. Indeed, in a seminal
paper several decades ago, Sparks, Loudon, and Kittel8 de-
veloped a picture such as this to explain the origin of the
extrinsic linewidth in yttrium iron garnet spheres. In their
case, the surface defects had their origin in the grit used to
polish the surface. We argue here that in ultrathin ferromag-
netic films, the spin-wave dispersion is such that the two
magnon mechanism is operative, provided the magnetization
is parallel to the surface.
Our attention is confined to films sufficiently thin so that
only a single spin-wave branch of acoustic character controls
the magnetic response. In the ultrathin film limit, standing
spin waves with nonzero wave vectors perpendicular to the
film surface, k⬜(n) ⫽n ␲ /d where n⫽1 and d the film thick-
ness, are upshifted by exchange to high frequencies well
above those in the FMR range. It would be desirable to
present the theory in more general form, valid for films or
arbitrary thickness. Such an analysis will be very complex
indeed, so we confine our attention to the ultrathin film limit.
We note that in a recent paper,10 McMichael, Stiles, Chen,
and Egelhoff presented a brief, qualitative discussion of a
two magnon contribution to the linewidth based on the same
physical picture we employ as a basis. One finds no explicit
results in their paper beyond a general expression for the
scattering rate, however. Here we set forth a specific model
of surface defects which may couple the FMR mode to the
short-wavelength spin waves. Within this framework, we
provide explicit predictions for the dependence of the extrin-
sic linewidth on the magnetic field at resonance, and for the
defect induced frequency shift as well.
Quite recently Hurben and Patton9 presented a theory of
extrinsic contributions to the linewidth of ferromagnetic
films, also based on two magnon scattering induced by de-
fects. Their theory is valid in what one may call the thick-
film limit, where the modes degenerate with the FMR mode
may be viewed as propagating, three-dimensional plane

0163-1829/99/60共10兲/7395共15兲/$15.00 PRB 60 7395 ©1999 The American Physical Society

7396 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

m x,y 共 x,z,t 兲 ⫽ 冕 d

0
m x,y 共 x,y,z;t 兲
dy
d
. 共1兲

We shall Fourier transform these amplitudes:

1
m x,y 共 x,z;t 兲 ⫽ 兺
冑L d kជ 2
ជ ជ
m x,y 共 kជ 储 ;t 兲 e ik •r , 储 储 共2兲
储

where L 2 is the area of the film, kជ 储 ⫽k x x̂⫹k z ẑ, and similarly

for rជ 储 . Note that m x,y (⫺kជ 储 )⫽m x,y (kជ 储 ) * .
Of interest in our discussion of the spin wave dispersion
in the film is the contribution to the spin-wave energy from
dipolar fields generated by the spin motions. This may be
written
FIG. 1. Geometry of an ultrathin film of thickness d. The ap-
ជ o and the main component of the magnetization M
plied field H ជ s are 1 1
lined up with the z axis, in plane. The angle ␾ kជ 储 is that between the H d ⫽⫺
2 冑L 2 d
magnon wave vector kជ 储 and the z axis.

waves unaffected by the presence of surfaces. Such a picture

⫻ 兺kជ mជ 共 kជ 储 ;t 兲 • 冕 e ikជ •rជ hជ (d)共 x,y,z;t 兲 dx dy dz,
储 储 共3兲
储
is appropriate, say, for garnet films many microns in thick-
ness, but not for the ultrathin films that are the focus of the where the integration is over the volume of the film. In what
present paper. follows, we omit explicit reference to the time.
In Sec. II, we discuss the nature of the spin-wave disper- We decompose the dipolar field into two contributions:
sion in ultrathin films, and then introduce the mechanism that hជ (1)
d from bulk magnetic charges and a second hជ (2)d from
forms the basis for our analysis. Through means of an equa- surface magnetic charges. We consider each in turn. We may
tion of motion method, in Sec. III we derive expressions for write
both the contribution to the linewidth and the frequency shift
of the FMR resonance, from the two magnon process. Sec- hជ (1) ជ (1) ជ
d 共 r 兲 ⫽⫺ⵜ⌽ M 共 r 兲 , 共4兲
tion IV is devoted to the development of a model of surface
defects and their contribution to the matrix elements which where, noting ⫺ⵜ•m ជ behaves as an effective magnetic
control the two magnon mechanism. Section V presents our charge density, the magnetic potential is
formulas for the two magnon contribution to the linewidth
and frequency shift, and Sec. VI shows representative plots
of the theoretically calculated extrinsic resonance linewidth
and frequency shifts, as well as concluding remarks.
ជ
M 共 r 兲 ⫽⫺
⌽ (1) 冕 d 3r ⬘
兩 rជ ⫺rជ ⬘ 兩
ជ 共 rជ ⬘ 兲
ⵜ ⬘ •m

II. SPIN-WAVE DISPERSION IN ULTRATHIN

FERROMAGNETIC FILMS; RELATION
⫽⫺ 冕ជ ជ
1 ⳵mx
兩 r ⫺r ⬘ 兩 ⳵ x ⬘
共 x ⬘ ,z ⬘ 兲 dx ⬘ dy ⬘ dz ⬘ . 共5兲

WITH TWO MAGNON MECHANISM Thus

Our discussion will be directed toward an ultrathin ferro-
冕
ជ ជ
i e ik 储 •r ⬘
magnetic film, such as that illustrated in Fig. 1. The magne-
tization M ជ s lies in the plane, parallel to the dc magnetic field
ជ
M 共 r 兲 ⫽⫺
⌽ (1)
冑L 2 d 兺kជ k x m x 共 kជ 储 兲
兩 rជ ⫺rជ ⬘ 兩
dx ⬘ dy ⬘ dz ⬘ .
储
Hជ o . We consider a spin wave which propagates in the plane 共6兲
of the film, with wave vector kជ 储 which makes the angle ␾ kជ 储 The integral in Eq. 共6兲 is readily evaluated. In the thin-film
with H ជ o and M ជ s . As mentioned in Sec. I, the thickness d of limit k 储 dⰆ1, the contribution to the dipole field 共averaged
the film is sufficiently thin that we need be concerned with over the film thickness兲 from bulk magnetic charges is then
only the low-lying acoustical spin-wave branch. The found to be
standing-wave modes are shifted upward by exchange in
such thin films sufficiently that they play no role in the con- 2␲
siderations that follow, as noted above. hជ (1) ជ
d 共 r 兲 ⫽⫺ 兺
冑L d kជ
2
ជ ជ
k 储 d sin ␾ kជ m x 共 kជ 储 兲 e ik •r 储
储 储

储
To describe the spin waves, we write the magnetization in
the form M ជ (rជ ,t)⫽M s ẑ⫹m
ជ (rជ ,t) when a mode is excited, ⫻ 共 sin ␾ kជ 储 x̂⫹cos ␾ kជ 储 ẑ 兲 . 共7兲
where m (r ,t)⫽m x (r ,t)x̂⫹m y (rជ ,t)ŷ. Since only the low-
ជ ជ ជ
lying acoustical branch is of interest, we may phrase the Of central importance to what follows is the linear variation
discussion entirely in terms of the transverse magnetization of hជ (1)
d with wave vector in Eq. 共7兲. The fact that we have
components, averaged over the film profile. Thus we con- short-wavelength modes degenerate with the FMR mode in
sider the ultrathin film follows from this result.
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . . 7397

The second contribution to the dipolar field and its con-
tribution to the spin-wave energy arises from fields generated
by surface magnetic charges. In a ferromagnet, if n̂ is the
outward surface normal, then n̂•M ជ is an effective magnetic
surface charge density. Thus, when the spin wave is excited,
ជ ជ
we have the surface charge density ⫹m y (kជ 储 )e ik 储 •r 储 on the
ជ ជ
upper surface, and ⫺m y (kជ 储 )e ik 储 •r 储 on the lower. In the thin-
film limit k 储 dⰆ1, the dominant contribution to the dipole
field from this source has the form
where H s ⫽2K s /M s d. Note H s is here positive when the y
direction is a hard axis.
Of course, in ultrathin films, an additional source of
uniaxial anisotropy normal to the surface has origin in alter-
ation of interlayer spacings. If, for example, the film is
grown on a substrate whose lattice constant is larger than the
bulk crystal form of the ultrathin film, there will be a de-
crease of interlayer spacing. Such effects just provide a
supplement to H s .
When all these terms are combined, we have a Hamil-

冉 冊
tonian which may be written
4␲ k 储d
hជ (2) ជ
d 共 r 兲 ⫽⫺
冑L
ŷ 兺kជ 1⫺
ជ ជ
m y 共 kជ 储 兲 e ik 储 •r 储 , 共8兲 1
2
兺kជ 兵 H x共 kជ 储 兲 m *x 共 kជ 储 兲 m x共 kជ 储 兲
2
d 储 H⫽
2M s
where we retain the contribution linear in kជ 储 . When these
储

fields are inserted into Eq. 共3兲 and the resulting integration ⫹H y 共 kជ 储 兲 m * ជ ជ
y 共 k 储 兲m y共 k 储 兲其, 共14兲
carried out, the contribution to the spin-wave excitation en-
ergy of the ultrathin film, in the notation introduced here, has where
the form
H x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽H o ⫹2 ␲ M s k 储 d sin2 ␾ kជ 储 ⫹Dk 2储 , 共15兲
H d ⫽2 ␲ 兺kជ
储
冉 1⫺
k 储d
2
ជ 冊 ជ
y 共 k 储 兲m y共 k 储 兲
m* and

⫹␲
There are, of course, other contributions to the spin-wave
energy. These are
共a兲 The Zeeman energy:
H y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽B o ⫹H s ⫺2 ␲ M s k 储 d⫹Dk 2储 , 共16兲
兺kជ k 储 d sin ␾ kជ 储 m *
2 ជ ជ
x 共 k 储 兲 m x共 k 储 兲 . 共9兲
储 where B o ⫽H o ⫹4 ␲ M s .
It should be remarked that we could include other forms
of anisotropy in our model Hamiltonian, such as the fourfold
in plane anisotropy. This would complicate various formulas
considerably, if H ជ o is not applied parallel to the easy axis.

H z ⫽⫺H o 冕 V
M z 共 x,z 兲 dx dy dz
We shall assume, in the interest of simplicity, that H o is
along the easy axis. Then the influence of the fourfold an-
isotropy is then simply to replace H o by H o ⫹H a , where H a

⫽⫺H o M s V⫹
Ho
2M s
冕 V
关 m 2x 共 x,z 兲
is the effective in plane anisotropy field. If the field H o is
applied along the hard axis, and H o is sufficiently large for
the magnetization to align along the hard axis, then H o is
⫹m 2y 共 x,z 兲兴 dx dy dz, 共10兲 replaced by (H o ⫺H a ) everywhere.
If (⫺ ␥ ) is the gyromagnetic ratio, then in our model, the
where V is the volume of the film. The constant term is spin-wave frequency is given by
discarded, leaving
⍀ 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽ ␥ 关 H x 共 kជ 储 兲 H y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 1/2. 共17兲
Ho
H z⫽
2M s 兺kជ ជ ជ
x 共 k 储 兲 m x 共 k 储 兲 ⫹m *
关m* ជ ជ
y 共 k 储 兲 m y 共 k 储 兲兴 , 共11兲
Now we may discuss the basis for the two magnon scattering
储
process that is the central mechanism explored in the present
when we use the variables introduced above. paper, and which was discussed as well in Ref. 10.
共b兲 The exchange energy: First, in an FMR experiment, the mode with wave vector
ជk 储 ⫽0 is excited. Its frequency is given by the well-known
H x⫽
A
M s2
冕 V
关 兩 ⵜm x 兩 2 ⫹ 兩 ⵜm y 兩 2 兴 dx dy dz
expression

⍀ FM ⫽ ␥ 冑H o 共 H o ⫹H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲 共18兲
1
⫽
2M s 兺kជ Dk 2储 关 m x* 共 kជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫹m * ជ ជ
y 共 k 储 兲 m y 共 k 储 兲兴 , for a film with magnetization parallel to the surface.
储 Consider the wave-vector dependence of the spin wave
共12兲 dispersion relation in Eq. 共17兲. We keep terms through those
quadratic in the wave vector, noting that for the metallic
where the exchange stiffness is D⫽2A/M s . films of interest the contribution of the dipolar energy qua-
共c兲 The surface anisotropy energy: dratic in the wave vector is small. Thus

H A⫽
Ks
M s2
冕
S
m 2y 共 x,z 兲 dx dz⫽
1
H
2M s s 兺kជ m *y 共 kជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲 ,
储
⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽⍀ FM
2
⫺2 ␲ ␥ 2 M s k 储 d 共 H o ⫺ 关 B o ⫹H s 兴 sin2 ␾ kជ 储 兲

共13兲 ⫹ ␥ 2 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 Dk 2储 . 共19兲
7398 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS
FIG. 2. Graphical representation of the scattering process from a
uniform mode to a mode degenerate with it, of wave vector k * 储 ,
which can occur if sin2 ␾kជ储⬍H0 /(Hs⫹B0).
In the ultrathin film limit, we see from Eq. 共19兲 that the
dipolar energy generates a term in the dispersion relation
linear in the wave vector. As noted some time ago by Erick-
son and Mills,7 for a range of propagation angles the initial
slope is negative. Furthermore, these authors discussed cir-
cumstances where the negative slope can actually drive
⍀ 2 (kជ 储 ) negative, producing an instability of the uniformly
ferromagnetic state. What is important here is that exchange
leads to the positive term quadratic in wave vector, and thus
at finite wave vectors, we have modes degenerate with the
uniform FMR mode. We encounter the negative slope, and
thus finite wave-vector modes degenerate with the FMR
mode when
Ho
sin ␾ kជ 储 ⬍
2
. 共20兲
B o ⫹H s
Some numbers are of interest. Typically, if we have Fe films
in mind, FMR measurements employ dc fields H o ⰆB o .
Then setting H s aside for the moment, the value of k 储 of the
modes degenerate with the FMR frequency is k 储
⯝2 ␲ M s d/D. For Fe, D⫽2.5⫻10⫺9 G cm2 , so for a film
30-Å thick, we have k 储 ⯝106 cm⫺1 . Macroscopic theory,
such as that used here, is adequate to describe such modes.
After the FMR mode is excited, defects on the surface
scatter the kជ 储 ⫽0 FMR modes into the finite wave-vector
states just described, in a manner similar to the mechanism
described in Ref. 8. We illustrate the scattering process sche-
matically, in Fig. 2, with the dispersion relation in Eq. 共19兲 in
mind. In this paper, we develop the theory of this two mag-
non scattering, with attention to specific models of matrix
elements which control the scattering. As we shall see in Sec.
III, and mentioned above, these scatterings introduce a fre-
quency shift of the mode as well.
In earlier analyses of FMR linewidth data in ultrathin
films, data at a small number of frequencies is fitted to a
functional form which contains a term linear in frequency,
and a zero-frequency residual linewidth. The linear term is
assumed to be the contribution from damping of the spin
motion within the body of the film, as described by the
Landau-Lifshitz equation, though the slope is found often to
be larger than that appropriate to the bulk material. The re-
PRB 60
sidual ‘‘zero-field’’ linewidth is argued to correlate with in-
terface quality.1 We shall see here that the mechanism we
explore has a more complex variation with applied dc field,
or FMR frequency.
The spin-wave dispersion relation just quoted is valid
when the magnetization and H ជ o both lie in the plane of the
film, and are parallel to each other. If the magnetization is
tipped out of the plane, the phase space within which the
negative slope occurs decreases, and eventually ⍀(kជ 储 ) in-
creases with kជ 储 for all values of the wave vector. Then the
mechanism examined here is rendered inoperative. This is
noted in Ref. 10, and in fact in this paper, data are presented
which show that the FMR linewidth indeed decreases mark-
edly as Mជ s is tipped out of the plane.
One may examine the nature of the spin-wave dispersion
relation for the case where H ជ o is applied out of the plane.
Suppose H ជ o makes the angle ␾ H with the plane of the film.
Then the magnetization will be canted out of plane, at the
angle ␾ M . Given ␾ H , one finds ␾ M by solving
共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲
sin共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲 ⫽ sin共 2 ␾ M 兲 . 共21兲
2H o
The spin-wave dispersion relation then assumes the form
⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽⍀ FM
2
共 ␾ H , ␾ M 兲 ⫺2 ␲ ␥ 2 M s k 储 d
⫻ 兵 关 cos2 ␾ M ⫺sin2 ␾ M cos2 ␾ kជ 储 兴关 H o cos共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲
⫺ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲 sin2 ␾ M 兴 ⫺sin2 ␾ kជ 储
⫻ 关 H o cos共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲 ⫹ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲 cos共 2 ␾ M 兲兴 其
⫹ ␥ 2 Dk 2储 兵 2H o cos共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲 ⫹ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲
⫻ 共 1⫺3sin2 ␾ M 兲 其 , 共22兲
where
⍀ FM
2
共 ␾ H , ␾ M 兲 ⫽ ␥ 2 关 H o cos共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲
⫺ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲 sin2 ␾ M 兴关 H o cos共 ␾ H ⫺ ␾ M 兲
⫹ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲 cos共 2 ␾ M 兲兴 . 共23兲
Suppose H o is applied perpendicular to the film, so ␾ H
⫽ ␲ /2. There are then two cases to consider. If H o ⬍(H s
⫹4 ␲ M s ), we have ␾ M ⬍ ␲ /2, i.e., the magnetization is
canted at the angle ␾ cM ⫽sin⫺1关Ho /(Hs⫹4␲M s)兴, and the dis-
persion relation of spin-wave modes of Eq. 共22兲 simplifies to
⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽⍀ FM
2
共 ␲ /2,␾ cM 兲 ⫹ ␥ 2 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲
冋 冉
⫻共 2 ␲ M s k 储 d sin2 ␾ kជ 储 ⫹Dk 2储 兲 1⫺
Ho
H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 冊册
2
.
共24兲
If H o ⬎(H s ⫹4 ␲ M s ), then ␾ M ⫽ ␲ /2, and the film is magne-
tized normal to its surface, and the dispersion relation be-
comes
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . . 7399

⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽⍀ FM
2
共 ␲ /2,␲ /2兲 ⫹2 ␥ 2 关 H o ⫺ 共 H s ⫹4 ␲ M s 兲兴 (0) ជ
␥ 2 H y 共 kជ 储 兲 M s
S xx 共 k 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ , 共30兲
⫻关 ␲ M s k 储 d⫹Dk 2储 兴 . 共25兲 ⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⍀ 2

Notice that in both configurations corresponding to Eqs. i ␥ ⍀M s

共24兲 and 共25兲 both terms linear in k 储 have positive coeffi- S (0) ជ
yx 共 k 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ , 共31兲
⍀ 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⍀ 2
2
cients, so there are no finite wave-vector modes degenerate
with the ferromagnetic resonance mode. In what follows, our
ជ o and M
ជ s are S (0) ជ (0) ជ
xy 共 k 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽⫺S yx 共 k 储 ,⍀ 兲 , 共32兲
attention will be focused on the case where H
parallel to the film surfaces, and to each other. and

III. DERIVATION OF EXPRESSIONS FOR LINEWIDTH ␥ 2 H x 共 kជ 储 兲 M s

AND FREQUENCY SHIFTS INDUCED BY SURFACE S (0) ជ
y y 共 k 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ . 共33兲
AND INTERFACE DEFECTS ⍀ 2 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⍀ 2

In this section, our attention is confined to the case where Here ⍀(kជ 储 ) is the spin-wave dispersion relation given in Eqs.
ជ
H o and M ជ s are both parallel to the film surface, and to each 共17兲 and 共19兲.
other. We shall treat the Hamiltonian in Eq. 共14兲 as a Our task is next to introduce the two magnon scattering
quantum-mechanical, zero-order spin Hamiltonian, with terms into the Hamiltonian, and examine their influence on
m x,y (kជ 储 ) regarded as an operator, and m * ជ
x,y (k 储 ) replaced by
the structure of S ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,⍀). When this task is completed, we
⫹ ជ shall obtain expressions for both the lifetime and frequency
its Hermitian adjoint m x,y (k 储 ). By adapting the continuum
shift produced by these processes.
theory developed elsewhere11 to the present problem, one In this section, we introduce the most general two magnon
deduces the commutation relation scattering term into the Hamiltonian, and then we analyze its
contents. We begin with
关 m x 共 kជ 储 兲 ,m ⫹ ជ 储 兲兴 ⫽i ␮ o M s ␦ kជ ,kជ ⬘ ,
y 共k⬘ 储
共26兲
储
1
where ␮ o is the magnetic moment of a magnetic ion in the V 2⫽
2 兺 m⫹ ជ 储 兲 V xx 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
film ( ␮ o ⫽⫺ ␥ ប). The remaining operators commute among kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储
themselves.
Our approach will be to examine the equation of motion ⫹ 兺 m⫹ ជ 储 兲 V xy 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
for the response functions kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储

␪共 t 兲 1
S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,t 兲 ⫽i
ប
具 关 m ␣ 共 kជ 储 ,t 兲 ,m ␤⫹ 共 kជ 储 ,0兲兴 典 , 共27兲 ⫹
2 兺 m⫹ ជ 储 兲 V y y 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲 .
y 共k⬘ 共34兲
kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储

where the operators are in the Heisenberg representation, ␣
and ␤ range over x and y, and ␪ (t) is the Heaviside step
function, equal to unity for t⬎0 and zero when t⬍0.
Of interest is the Fourier transform
Section IV will be devoted to the construction of models for
surface and interface defects. That discussion will lead to
explicit forms for the matrix elements V ␣␤ (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 ). For the
moment, we address the issue of generating formal expres-

冕 ⬁ sions for the two magnon contribution to the linewidth.

S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,t 兲 e i⍀t dt. 共28兲 In the presence of such scattering, we need to examine
⫺⬁ response functions more general than those in Eq. 共27兲. Thus
These functions, when considered as a function of frequency we consider
⍀, have poles when ⍀ equals the spin-wave frequencies in
␪共 t 兲
the system. In the presence of damping or scattering, the S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;t 兲 ⫽i 具 关 m ␣ 共 kជ 储 ,t 兲 ,m ␤⫹ 共 kជ ⬘储 ,0兲兴 典 . 共35兲
poles shift off the real axis. The imaginary part of the fre- ប
quency is the linewidth, or inverse lifetime of the mode.
One begins with the equation of motion When scattering processes such as those in Eq. 共34兲 are in-
troduced, wave vector is no longer conserved, so
⳵ S ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;t) has nonzero off diagonal matrix elements in
iប S 共 kជ ,t 兲 ⫽ ␦ 共 t 兲 具 关 m ␤⫹ 共 kជ 储 兲 ,m ␣ 共 kជ 储 兲兴 典 wave vector. We define the Fourier transform of
⳵ t ␣␤ 储
S ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;t) as in Eq. 共28兲.
␪共 t 兲 We begin by generating equations of motion for these
⫹i 具 关关 m ␣ 共 kជ 储 ,t 兲 ,H 兴 ,m ␤⫹ 共 kជ 储 ,0兲兴 典 .
ប response functions. When we calculate 关 dm ␣ (kជ 储 ,t)/dt 兴 , we
共29兲 add phenomenological damping as described by the Landau-
Lifshitz equation to the terms generated by the spin Hamil-
A short calculation of the Fourier transforms defined in Eq. tonian.
共28兲 for the perfect film described by the Hamiltonian in Eq. We then find the following set of equations for S xx and
共14兲 provides the following expressions: S yx :
7400 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

i⍀S xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ⫺ ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ 储 兲 S yx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 In a related problem whose formal structure is very simi-
lar to that explored here, Huang and Maradudin12 have uti-
lized a projection operator method to obtain a closed equa-
⫽␥M s 兺
ជ
V* ជ 储 ,kជ 储 兲 S xx 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲
xy 共 k ⬙ tion for S̄ ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,⍀), in the limit where the amplitude of the
k ⬙储 roughness associated with the random defects may be as-
sumed small. In essence, the averaged propagators obey a
⫹␥M s 兺
ជ
V* ជ 储 ,kជ 储 兲 S yx 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ,
y y共 k ⬙ 共36兲
Dyson equation with a self-energy of matrix form. The self-
energy matrix is quadratic in the two magnon matrix ele-
k ⬙储
ments. In our case we find, after a straightforward applica-
tion of this procedure, that the S̄ ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,⍀) obey
␥ H̃ x 共 kជ 储 兲 S xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ⫹i⍀S yx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲
关 i⍀⫹⌺ yx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴 S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫹ 关 ⫺ ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ 储 兲
⫽ ␥ M s ␦ kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘ ⫺ ␥ M s
储
兺
ជ
V xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 S xx 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ⫹⌺ y y 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴 S̄ yx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽0, 共41兲
k ⬙储
and
⫺␥M s 兺
ជ
V xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 S yx 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 . 共37兲
关 ⫺ ␥ H̃ x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫹⌺ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴 S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲
k ⬙储

We have introduced ⫺ 关 i⍀⫺⌺ xy 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴 S̄ yx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽⫺ ␥ M s , 共42兲

where the matrix ⌺(kជ 储 ,⍀) may be written in the form

␥ H̃ x,y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫽ ␥ H x,y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺ig⍀, 共38兲

where g⬅G/ ␥ M s and G is the Gilbert damping constant, ␥2M 2

which appears in the Landau-Lifshitz equation of motion. To
⌺ ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ 兺 ជ
s
N 共 kជ ,kជ ⬙ 兲 ,
ជ ⬙ 兲 ⫺⍀ 2 兴 ␣␤ 储 储
ជ 关 ␥ H̃ 共 k ⬙ 兲 H̃ 共 k
2
k ⬙储 x 储 y 储
place Eqs. 共36兲 and 共37兲 in the form given, we have em- 共43兲
ployed identities imposed on the matrix elements in Eq. 共34兲
by the requirement that the Hamiltonian be Hermitian. For where
example, V ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 )⫽V ␣␤
* (⫺kជ 储 ,⫺kជ ⬘储 ), and V ␣␣ (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 )
⫽V ␣␣ (⫺kជ 储 ,⫺kជ ⬘储 ). N xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫽ ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 V xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 2 ⫹ ␥ H̃ x 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 V xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 2
The two functions S y y (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀) and S xy (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀) obey * 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 V xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲兴 ,
⫺2⍀ Im关 V xx 共44兲
equations rather similar in structure to Eqs. 共36兲 and 共37兲. In
the interest of brevity, we omit displaying their explicit form.
We assume now that the defects responsible for the scat- N y y 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫽ ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 V xy 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲 兩 2 ⫹ ␥ H̃ x 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 兩 V y y 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲 兩 2
tering are arranged on the surface in a random manner. We
⫺2⍀ Im关 V xy 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲 V * ជ 储 ,kជ 储 兲兴 ,
y y共 k ⬙ 共45兲
average all quantities over an ensemble of realizations of
random defects. When this is done, the correlation function
S ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀) becomes diagonal in wave vector. The aver- N xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫽ ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 V xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 V xy 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲
aging process restores translational invariance, on the aver-
⫹ ␥ H̃ x 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 V y y 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲 V xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲
age. If we denote this averaging process by angular brackets,
then ⫺i⍀ 兵 V xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 V y y 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲
具 S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 典 ⫽ ␦ kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 具 S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,kជ 储 ;⍀ 兲 典 ⫺V xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 V xy 共 kជ ⬙储 ,kជ 储 兲 其 , 共46兲

⬅ ␦ kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘ S̄ ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ;⍀ 兲 . 共39兲 and

储

For any particular film, we may write N yx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫽N xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲 * . 共47兲

S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ⫽ ␦ kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘ S̄ ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ;⍀ 兲 ⫹⌬S ␣␤ 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀ 兲 ,
储
共40兲
where ⌬S ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ;⍀) owes its existence to the specific ar-
rangements of defects on the film under consideration.
We have employed the identity, required by Hermiticity,
V ␣␣ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ) * ⫽V ␣␣ (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 ).
It is a simple matter to solve for S̄ xx (kជ 储 ,⍀) and
S̄ yx (kជ 储 ,⍀) from Eqs. 共41兲 and 共42兲. Thus

␥ M s 关 ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⌺ y y 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴
S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⫽ . 共48兲
关 ␥ H̃ x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⌺ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴关 ␥ H̃ y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⌺ y y 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴 ⫹ 关 i⍀⫹⌺ yx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴关 i⍀⫺⌺ xy 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲兴
PRB 60
We may generate expressions for S̄ y y and S̄ xy in a similar
manner. Since the full form of these propagators is not re-
quired for what follows, we omit quoting their form in the
interest of brevity.
We can simplify a number of features in Eq. 共48兲. Since
we assume the influence of the two magnon scattering on
various quantities is small, save in the near vicinity of the
spin-wave pole in the denominator, we may ignore
⌺ y y (kជ 储 ,⍀) in the numerator. Also, we may replace H̃ y (kជ 储 )
in the numerator by simply H y (kជ 储 ), setting aside the contri-
bution from the damping.
Finally, our derivation of Eqs. 共41兲 and 共42兲 retains only
terms in the equation of motion quadratic in the matrix ele-
ments V ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ). Thus when we expand the factors in the
denominator, we may discard products such as
⌺ xx (kជ 储 ,⍀)⌺ y y (kជ 储 ,⍀), which are fourth order. It is meaning-
ful to retain such terms only if the individual self-energy
matrix elements ⌺ ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,⍀) are each calculated complete
through fourth order.
With these approximations, we may write
S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲
␥ 2 H y 共 kជ 储 兲 M s
⫽ 2
⍀ 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺⍀ 2 ⫺i ␥ g⍀ 关 H x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫹H y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 ⫺⌺ 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲
where
␥ 2 M s2 N 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 兲
⌺ 共 kជ 储 ,⍀ 兲 ⬅ 兺 ជ 储 兲 H̃ y 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫺⍀ 2
kជ ⬙储 ␥ H̃ x 共 k ⬙
2
where ⍀ 2 (kជ 储 ) is the spin-wave dispersion relation defined in
Eq. 共19兲, and
N 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 兲 ⬅ ␥ H x 共 kជ 储 兲 N y y 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 兲 ⫹ ␥ H y 共 kជ 储 兲 N xx 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 兲
⫺2⍀ Im关 N xy 共 kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 兲兴 .
The real part of ⌺(kជ 储 ,⍀) contains information about the two
magnon scattering induced frequency shift of the spin wave,
and the imaginary part their contribution to the linewidth.
The expression for the quantity N(kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 ) is lengthy, and is
derived readily from Eqs. 共44兲–共47兲.
Our interest is in the FMR mode, with wave vector kជ 储
⫽0. Thus we set kជ 储 ⫽0 everywhere. Furthermore, in the cal-
culation of N(kជ 储 ,kជ ⬙储 ), the factors of H̃ x (kជ 储 ), H̃ y (kជ 储 ) may be
set to H x (0) and H y (0), since for the wave vector regime of
interest, the finite wave-vector corrections are quantitatively
small; they play a crucial role in the denominator of Eq. 共50兲,
of course, since they are responsible for rendering finite
wave-vector spin waves degenerate with the FMR mode.
Then we have
␥ 2 关 B o ⫹H s 兴 M s
S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ⫽0,⍀ 兲 ⫽
⍀ FM
2
⫺⍀ 2 ⫺i ␥ g⍀ 关 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兴 ⫺⌺ 共 0,⍀ 兲
共52兲
EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . . 7401
After considerable algebra, we find the numerator N(0,kជ ⬙储 ) in
Eq. 共50兲 may be expressed in terms of a positive definite
quantity:
N 共 0,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫽ ␥ 2 兩 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 V xx 共 0,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫹H o V y y 共 0,kជ ⬙储 兲
⫹i 关 H o 共 B o ⫹H s 兲兴 1/2关 V xy 共 0,kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫺V * ជ 储 兲兴 兩 2 .
xy 共 0,k ⬙
共53兲
As noted above, the imaginary part of ⌺(0,⍀) controls the
two magnon contribution to the linewidth. The real part of
⌺(0,⍀) provides us with the defect induced frequency shift
of the resonance mode. If we keep only the imaginary part
for the moment, and assume the Lorentzian which appears
may be replaced by a suitably weighted Dirac delta function,
then we have our final form for the spin-wave propagator:
␥ 2 关 H s ⫹B o 兴 M s
S̄ xx 共 kជ 储 ⫽0,⍀ 兲 ⫽ ,
⍀ FM
2
⫺⍀ 2 ⫺i ␥ g⍀ 关 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兴 ⫺i⌫
共54兲
with
␲ ␥ 2 M s2
⌫⬅
2⍀ FM 兺
kជ
N 共 0,kជ ⬙储 兲 ␦ 关 ⍀ 共 kជ ⬙储 兲 ⫺⍀ 兴 . 共55兲
, ⬙
This concludes our formal derivation of the two magnon
共49兲 scattering contribution to the linewidth. The influence of the
frequency shift will be discussed below. Our next task, ad-
dressed in Sec. IV, is to make models of surface and inter-
face defects, and their contribution to the matrix elements
V ␣␤ (kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 ). This will lead us to find expressions for the
, 共50兲
linewidth, and frequency shift.
IV. MODEL OF SURFACE AND INTERFACE DEFECTS,
AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO TWO MAGNON
MATRIX ELEMENTS
In this section, we present a model of defects on the film
共51兲 surface, or at an interface, and examine their contribution to
the matrix element for two magnon scattering. As noted ear-
lier, in their very brief discussion, the authors of Ref. 10
provided no estimate of the magnitude of the matrix ele-
ments, and their relation to the morphology of specific sur-
face features. Because of this, they gave no assessment, even
qualitative, of the specific predictions of this mechanism. In
our view, a central issue is the magnitude and field depen-
dence of the two magnon scattering contributions. For this,
explicit models are required.
We may expect island formation in the ultrathin films, and
also depressions in the surface as well. We note that in a very
interesting synchrotron study of interface roughness, Idzerda
and his colleagues have quantified the length scale of the
‘‘magnetic roughness’’ present in ultrathin films.13
We assume that on the surface we have defects both in the
form of bumps or islands, and also we have depressions or
pits. The size of these structures will be supposed small com-
pared to the wavelength of both spin waves involved in the
. two magnon scattering event. Thus when deriving their con-
tribution to the matrix element, we may assume the spin-
wave amplitudes are constant in their vicinity. We also as-
7402 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

sume all bumps are identical, with the same orientation ជ f (xជ )⫽0 outside the nominal film. Thus m
共j兲 and m ជ f (xជ ) van-
throughout the film, and similarly for pits. Of course, this ishes within the bump. The terms in the dipolar energy of the
will not be the case in practice. In the end, one may account whole film of quadratic order in m ជ (xជ ) are then
for the influences of variations in size, topology, and orien-
tation by replacing parameters which refer to the linear di-
mensions of a surface defect by suitable ensemble averages.
There are three contributions to the matrix element we
b
HD ⫽⫺
1
2
冕
V
ជ •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ兲

consider: that from the perturbation to the Zeeman term, that

from the perturbation to the dipolar energy, and finally that
associated with the surface anisotropy. We consider each in
⫽⫺
1
2
冕
V
ជ f •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ f兲

冕
turn. 1
⫺
2 兺j j
Vb
ជ bj •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ f兲
A. Zeeman perturbation

兺冕
As presented already in Eq. 共10兲, the change in Zeeman 1
ជ f •H
ជ D共 m
ជ bj 兲
energy due to the presence of a single bump is given by ⫺ dVm
2 j Vf

⌬H z ⫽
Ho
2M s
冕 Vb
dV 关 m 2x 共 x,z 兲 ⫹m 2y 共 x,z 兲兴 , 共56兲 ⫺
1
2 兺i 兺j 冕 Vb
i
ជ ib •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ bj 兲 , 共61兲

with V b the volume of the bump. Since the transverse mag- with Hជ D representing the demagnetizing fields of the differ-
netization associated with spin waves will not vary signifi- ent magnetization configurations considered. The first term
cantly over the region of the bump, if it is indeed small ជ f (xជ ) was already considered in the zeroth-
compared to the wavelength of the spin waves, the energy of quadratic in m
a collection of bumps is approximated as order Hamiltonian appropriate to the perfectly smooth film.
The second and third term are equal by virtue of the reci-
H procity theorem,14 and combined can be written as
⌬H zb ⫽ 兺j ⌬H zj ⫽ 2Mo s V b 兺j 关 m 2x 共 xជ j 兲 ⫹m 2y 共 xជ j 兲兴 , 共57兲

where xជ j is the position of bump j. Using the representation

Ib
HD ⫽⫺ 兺j 冕
Vb
j
ជ bj •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ f兲

of the magnetization in terms of Fourier components given in

Eq. 共2兲, one obtains ⯝⫺V b 兺j mជ 共 xជ j 兲 •Hជ D共 mជ f ;xជ j 兲 . 共62兲
Ho Vb
⌬H zb ⫽
2M s Ld 兺 S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲关 m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘ The second term of Eq. 共62兲 has been written with the ap-
kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储 proximation once again that the size of the bump is small
with respect to the length scale of the variation of the spin
⫹m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 ,
y 共k⬘ 共58兲 ជ (xជ ), i.e., the integral is easily approximated
wave field or m
where we have defined the following structure factor for the since the integrands are almost constant. The field appearing
array of bumps in Eq. 共62兲 is evaluated just outside the film, at the position
of the bump, and it is 共to lowest order in k 储 d)
1
S b 共 qជ 储 兲 ⫽ 兺j e ⫺iqជ •xជ .
储 j 共59兲 1
L ជ D共 m
H ជ f ;xជ j ,y⫽d/2兲 ⫽
冑L 2 d 兺kជ e ikជ •xជ 2 ␲ 共 k 储 d 兲
储 j

By similar arguments the change in the Zeeman energy due 储

to ‘‘pits’’ or ellipsoidal depressions is

⫻ 关 m y 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫺ik̂ x储 m x 共 kជ 储 兲兴共 ŷ⫺ik̂ 储 兲 ,
Ho Vp 共63兲
⌬H zp ⫽⫺
2M s Ld 兺 S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲关 m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储
Ib
i.e., the term HD will be of order (k 储 d), therefore it will be
neglected from the final analysis. We shall see, for example,
⫹m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 ,
y 共k⬘ 共60兲 that the final term in Eq. 共61兲 dominates in the limit k 储 d
Ⰶ1.
with S p (qជ 储 ) an equivalent structure factor for pits. Now we turn to the fourth term in Eq. 共61兲, for the case
i⫽ j, i.e., the ‘‘self-energy’’ terms:
B. Dipolar perturbation
First, we consider the change in the dipolar energy due to
the presence of bumps on the surface of the film. We write
Sb j
HD ⫽⫺
1
2
冕
Vb
j
ជ bj •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ bj 兲 . 共64兲

the magnetization approximately as M ជ (xជ )⫽M s ẑ⫹m

ជ (xជ ),
In principle here one should calculate the energy due to a
ជ ជ ជ ជ
with m (x )⫽m x (x )x̂⫹m y (x )ŷ the transverse component as- uniform magnetization within the bump. This is a difficult
sociated with the presence of the spin waves. Now we write task, even for a structure of simple shape. We shall assume
mជ (xជ )⫽mជ f (xជ )⫹ 兺 j m
ជ bj (xជ ), with m
ជ bj (xជ )⫽0 outside the bump we may introduce appropriate demagnetizing factors N x and
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . . 7403

N y for the structure. This will provide us with a contribution film, which makes a large difference since the field inside the
that is correct, to within factors of order unity. We shall ជ D (m
film is approximately H ជ f ;xជ j )⯝⫺4 ␲ m y (xជ j )ŷ, i.e.,
appreciate later that this approximation will not influence our
final result. Thus 1
1
ជ D共 m
H ជ f ;xជ j ,y⫽d/2兲 ⯝⫺
冑L 2 d 兺kជ e ikជ •xជ 4 ␲ m y 共 kជ 储 兲 ŷ.
储 j

⫽ V b 关 N x m 2x 共 xជ j 兲 ⫹N y m 2y 共 xជ j 兲兴 .
储
Sb j
HD 共65兲 共71兲
2
Note that N x and N y are less than 4 ␲ (N x ⫹N y ⫹N z ⫽4 ␲ ). Thus the interaction term for pits becomes approximately
Finally we address the terms which couple different
Vp
bumps, i.e., the terms of the type Ip
HD ⯝⫺4 ␲
Ld 兺
ជ ជ
S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲 ,
y 共k⬘ 共72兲
k 储 ,k ⬘储
ij
HD ⫽⫺ 冕Vb
i
ជ ib •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ bj 兲 . 共66兲 ជ ជ
with S p (qជ 储 )⬅(1/L) 兺 j e ⫺iq 储 •x j the structure factor of pits.
The treatment of the coupling terms between pits is simi-
The field of the bump 共j兲 at the position of the bump 共i兲 lar as for bumps. Only the self-terms are important in the
corresponds to that of a magnetic charge dipole within our end, and it is easy to see that they are exactly the same as for
approximation scheme 关in the case of a semispherical bump bumps. Thus we approximate the self-terms by
of radius R the dipole is pជ ⫽(2 ␲ /3)R 3 m
ជ (xជ j )兴. This field is
weak in comparison with the self-field of bump (i), then it 1 Vp
will be neglected. ⌬H D
Sp
⫽
2 Ld 兺
ជ ជ
S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲关 N x m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
k 储 ,k ⬘储
Now we can summarize the results for bumps. The domi-
nant dipolar contribution comes from terms like those of Eq. ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 .
⫹N y m ⫹
y 共k⬘ 共73兲
共65兲. Then, the main contribution of bumps to the change in
dipolar energy is approximately Finally, adding all terms, the change in dipolar energy due to
pits can be written as
1
⌬H D
b
⫽ Vb
2 兺j 关 N x m 2x 共 xជ j 兲 ⫹N y m 2y 共 xជ j 兲兴 . 共67兲
1 Vp
⌬H Dp ⫽
2 Ld 兺 S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲关 N x m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
Using a Fourier representation of the quantities involved, the kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储
change in dipolar energy becomes
⫺ 共 8 ␲ ⫺N y 兲 m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 .
y 共k⬘ 共74兲
1 Vb
⌬H D
b
⫽
2 Ld 兺 S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲关 N x m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲
x 共k⬘
C. Magnetic surface anisotropy perturbation
kជ 储 ,kជ ⬘储
In the ultrathin films of interest, surface anisotropy can be
⫹N y m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲兴 ,
y 共k⬘ 共68兲 very strong. Variation in the direction of the anisotropy axis
over the surface of a defect will lead to two magnon scatter-
where S b (kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 ) is the structure factor introduced above. ing, as emphasized by Heinrich.15 We consider this contribu-
Now we consider the case of ‘‘pits’’ or depressions. tion here.
These will prove to have a different contribution to the di- As far as surface magnetic anisotropy is concerned there
polar energy, as will be seen in the following. is no difference between an ‘‘upward bump’’ or a ‘‘depres-
First, the magnetization is written as sion’’ of the same shape, so we will talk about defects, with
both types in mind.
ជ 共 xជ 兲 ⫽m
m ជ f 共 xជ 兲 ⫹ 兺j mជ pj共 xជ 兲 , 共69兲 The change in surface anisotropy energy associated with
the presence of a defect is given by
ជ f (xជ )⫽0 outside the nominal film, and m ជ pj (xជ )⫽0
冕 冕
where m
Ks Ks
outside the pit, and also m ជ pj (xជ )⫽⫺m ជ f (xជ ) in the region of the ⌬H A ⫽ ជ 共 xជ 兲 •n̂ 共 xជ 兲兴 2 ⫺
dS 关 M dSM 2y 共 xជ 兲 ,
pit, so that we have an empty region there. Notice that we M s2 S M s2 S̄

have used superposition of magnetization configurations 共75兲

with overlap at the region of the pit.
where n̂(xជ ) is the normal to the surface of the defect at point
Using our decomposition of m ជ (xជ ) one obtains an expres-
xជ , and S̄ is the projection of the surface S of the defect in the
sion analogous to Eq. 共61兲 for the dipolar energy quadratic in
x-z plane.
ជ (xជ ). The interaction term becomes
m Writing the magnetization as

Ip
HD ⫽⫺ 兺j 冕 j
Vp
ជ pj •H
dVm ជ D共 m
ជ f 兲 ⯝V p 兺j mជ 共 xជ j 兲 •Hជ D共 mជ f ;xជ j 兲 . ជ 共 xជ 兲 ⫽M
M ជ eq 共 xជ 兲 冑 冉 冊 1⫺
ជ 共 xជ 兲
m
2
ជ 共 xជ 兲 ,
⫹m 共76兲
共70兲 Ms

Here the difference with the bumps, apart from the sign of with mជ (xជ )⬜Mជ eq (xជ ), it immediately satisfies the condition
ជ p , is that the demagnetizing field is evaluated inside the
m ជ (xជ )⫽M s if M
M 2 2 ជ eq (xជ ) 2 ⫽M s2 , where M
ជ eq (xជ ) is the equilib-
7404 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

rium magnetization configuration. In our case M ជ eq (xជ )

⯝M s ẑ. Using Eq. 共76兲, the terms to second order in m (xជ ) in
ជ V xx 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 ⫽
Vd
M s Ld 再冋 d
N x M s ⫹H o ⫹ 共 f x ⫺ f z 兲 H s
h 册
冋 册
Eq. 共75兲 become
d
⫻S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 ⫹ N y M s ⫺H o ⫹ 共 f x ⫺ f z 兲 H s
h
⌬H A ⫽
Ks
M s2
冕 S
dS 关 n̂ 共 xជ 兲 •m̂ 共 xជ 兲兴 2 ⫺
Ks
M s2
冕
S
dSn̂ z2 共 xជ 兲 m
ជ 2 共 xជ 兲
冎
⫻S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 , 共81兲
Ks
冕
⫺
M s2 S̄
dSm 2y 共 xជ 兲 . 共77兲
V y y 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 ⫽
Vd
M s Ld 再冋 d
N x M s ⫹H o ⫹ 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲 H s
h 册
Assuming the variation of m
ជ ជ
ជ (xជ ) is small within the region of
the defect, then m (x ) can be taken out of the integrals as 冋
⫻S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 ⫺ 共 8 ␲ ⫺N y 兲 M s ⫹H o
ជ (xជ j ), where xជ j is the position of the jth defect. Also, we
册 冎
m
d
assume the defect has symmetry such that 兰 dSn̂ x (xជ )n̂ y (xជ ) ⫺ 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲 H s S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 , 共82兲
⫽0. Then this energy becomes h

where we have considered that bumps and pits have the same
S̄ d K s volume, i.e., V b ⫽V p ⫽V d , and we have defined h
⌬H Aj ⫽ 兵 关 f x ⫺ f z 兴 m 2x 共 xជ j 兲 ⫹ 关 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兴 m 2y 共 xជ j 兲 其 . ⬅V d /S̄ d , i.e., h is a measure of the height of the defects.
M s2
Consider the order of magnitude of the various contribu-
共78兲
tions to Eqs. 共81兲 and 共82兲. Roughly speaking, M s , H o , and
H s are comparable in magnitude. For Fe, for instance,
We have introduced the geometrical factors
4 ␲ M s ⯝21 kG, and 兩 H s 兩 will be in the range of 10 kG in
typical cases. Indeed, the fact that in zero applied field, one

f ␣⫽
1
S̄ d
冕 dSn̂ ␣2 , 共79兲
realizes ultrathin films with magnetization perpendicular to
the surface shows 兩 H s 兩 can exceed 4 ␲ M s .
If all the fields are indeed comparable in magnitude, the
factor of d/h which multiplies H s in Eqs. 共81兲 and 共82兲 sug-
where S̄ d is the basal surface area of the defect, i.e., f x ⫹ f y gests that surface anisotropy provides the dominant contribu-
⫹ f z ⫽S d /S̄ d , with S d the defect’s surface area. tion to the matrix element. If, for example, we have a film
For what follows, it is important to note that if the topol- 20-Å thick, we may expect d/h⬃5 to 10 for a typical de-
ogy of the defects is such that the x and z directions in the fect.
surface are equivalent, then f x ⫽ f z and the term in m 2x (xជ j ) Thus, in what follows, we retain only the surface anisot-
vanishes. Thus if the defect is a hemisphere with circular ropy terms, to approximate V xx and V y y by the very simple
footprint, or a square with sides or diagonals parallel to the x forms
and z axes, we have no term in m 2x (xជ j ). Thus a smooth bump
S̄ d H s
should be elliptical, or an island should be a rectangle rather V xx 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 ⫽ 共 f ⫺ f 兲关 S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 ⫹S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲兴
than a square for this term to be nonvanishing. This term will M sL x z
play a key role in controlling the field dependence of the two 共83兲
magnon contribution to the linewidth.
We now sum over the array of bumps and pits, and use and
the Fourier representation for the magnetization components
to find S̄ d H s
V y y 共 kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 兲 ⫽ 共 f ⫺ f ⫺1 兲关 S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 ⫹S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲兴 .
M sL y z
共84兲
S̄ d K s
⌬H A ⫽ 兵关 f x⫺ f z兴 m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m x 共 kជ 储 兲 ⫹ 关 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兴
x 共k⬘
M s2 Ld
V. TWO MAGNON CONTRIBUTION TO LINEWIDTH
⫻m ⫹ ជ 储 兲 m y 共 kជ 储 兲 其 关 S b 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲 ⫹S p 共 kជ ⬘储 ⫺kជ 储 兲兴 .
y 共k⬘
AND FREQUENCY SHIFTS

共80兲 A. Linewidth

Our first task is to evaluate the matrix element N(0,kជ ⬙储 ) in

D. Summary of results
In this section we summarize the results obtained above.
First, note that within the picture offered, the matrix element
V xy (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 ) vanishes. We are then left with V xx (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 ) and
V y y (kជ ⬘储 ,kជ 储 ) which we write, recalling that H s ⫽2K s /(M s d),
Eq. 共53兲. We do this utilizing the limiting forms given in
Eqs. 共83兲 and 共84兲. We shall average the expression for
N(0,kជ ⬙ ) over an array of randomly arranged defects. We
assume no correlation between the location of pits and
bumps, for simplicity. Thus if averages over configurations
are denoted by angular brackets,
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . . 7405

N b,p 2 ␥ 2 H s2 pS̄ d
具 兩 S b,p 共 qជ 储 兲 兩 2 典 ⫽ , 共85兲 ⌫⫽ 关共 B o ⫹H s 兲共 f x ⫺ f z 兲
L2 ␲ D 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲

and
⫹H o 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲兴 2 sin⫺1 冋冉 Ho
B o ⫹H s 冊册
1/2
. 共90兲
具 S b 共 qជ 储 兲 S p 共 qជ 储 兲 * 典 ⫽0, 共86兲
When we evaluated the integral over ␾ kជ 储 in Eq. 共88兲, we
where N b and N p are the number of pits and bumps, on the
used that H o ⬍B o ⫹H s : in our case this is assured since the
surface area L 2 . In our approximation where the size of the
main magnetization is assumed to lie in plane, i.e., 0
surface defect is small compared to the magnon wavelength,
⬍4 ␲ M s ⫹H s or equivalently H o ⬍B o ⫹H s .
N(0,kជ ⬙ ) is independent of kជ ⬙储 . We thus drop reference to this, Our subsequent discussion will be based on this form.
and we then find the simple result Notice that as H o →0, in fact ⌫→0. That is, the two magnon
scattering contribution to the linewidth vanishes at zero field.
2 ␥ 2 S̄ d H s2 The reason is that as H o →0, the phase space available to
N⫽ p 关共 B o ⫹H s 兲共 f x ⫺ f z 兲 ⫹H o 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲兴 2 ,
M s2 L 2 final state spin waves becomes vanishingly small, since one
共87兲 realizes the negative slope only for propagation directions
for which 兩 sin(␾k储)兩⬍关Ho /(Bo⫹Hs)兴1/2. Thus if the mecha-
where p⬅S̄ d (N b ⫹N p )/L 2 is the fraction of the surface cov- nism explored here is operational in the sample studied, the
ered by defects. The factor of 2 has its origin in the fact that term ‘‘zero-field linewidth’’1,2 used often is quite inappropri-
the film has an upper and a lower surface, each assumed to ate.
have a similar defect distribution. We now need to link our quantity ⌫ with the actual fer-
Notice, as remarked earlier, if the defects are round or romagnetic resonance linewidth, as measured experimen-
square in character, f x ⫽ f z and V xx vanishes. In this case, N tally. Consider the response function in Eq. 共54兲. In the ex-
is proportional to H 2o . In such a picture, the two magnon periment, the frequency ⍀ is held fixed, and the dc field H o
contribution to the linewidth will have a very strong depen- is varied, and swept through resonance. In essence, the factor
dence on the applied magnetic field H o . In this case, only ⍀ FM
2
in the denominator is swept through ⍀ by varying H o .
the component of magnetization associated with the spin If H o ⫽H (r)
o ⫹⌬H where H o is the resonance field where
(r)
waves which is normal to the surface provides coupling for ⍀ FM ⫽⍀, then when ⌬H is small, ⍀ FM 2
⫺⍀ 2 ⫽ ␥ 2 (H o ⫹B o
the two magnon process. The ratio (m y /m x ) 2 is equal to ⫹H s )⌬H. Thus the linewidth ⌬H in Gauss is given by
H o /(H s ⫹B o ) for these modes in the long-wavelength limit.
The strong field dependence present when V xx ⫽0 has its
origin in this feature of the spin-wave modes in a thin film. G⍀ FM
⌬H⫽ ⫹⌬H (2) , 共91兲
So far as we know, there is little evidence for such a strong ␥ Ms 2

field dependence of the extrinsic linewidth. We argue, then,

that on average, the footprint of the defects on the surface is where ⌬H (2) ⫽⌫/ 关 ␥ 2 (H o ⫹B o ⫹H s ) 兴 , i.e., from Eq. 共90兲,
either elongated or shortened, so f x ⫽ f z . Then V xx ⫽0, and
we realize the much more modest field dependence displayed 2H s2 pS̄ d
in Eq. 共87兲. ⌬H (2)
⫽ 关共 B o ⫹H s 兲共 f x ⫺ f z 兲
We now turn to Eq. 共55兲, and we find an explicit expres- ␲ D 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 2
sion for ⌫. The frequency ⍀ in the Dirac delta function is
replaced by the ferromagnetic resonance frequency ⍀ FM .
Then we have
⫹H o 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲兴 2 sin⫺1 冉 H 1/2
o

共 B o ⫹H s 兲 1/2
冊 . 共92兲

␥ 2 H s2 pS̄ d We now need to resort to a specific model of the shape of the

⌫⫽ 关共 B o ⫹H s 兲共 f x ⫺ f z 兲 islands and pits, to evaluate f x , f y , and f z . If we have a film
2 ␲ D 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲
made from material whose crystal structure is cubic, we may

⫹H o 共 f y ⫺ f z ⫺1 兲兴 2 冕 冕0
⬁
dk 储
2␲

0
d ␾ k储␦
imagine the defects to be rectangles, with edges perpendicu-
lar to and parallel to the magnetization. We adopt this pic-
ture, and the dimensions of the model defect are illustrated in
Fig. 3. The rectangle has height 共or depth兲 b, and sides with
储 共 ␾ k 储 兲兴 ,
⫻ 关 k 储 ⫺k (c) 共88兲
length a and c, respectively. Then for such an island, we
where have f y ⫽1, f x ⫽2b/a, f z ⫽2b/c, and S̄ d ⫽ac, and Eq. 共92兲
becomes
2 ␲ M s d 关 H o ⫺ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 sin2 ␾ k 储 兴
储 共 ␾ k储兲⬅
冋
k (c) . 共89兲
共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 D 8H s2 b 2 pac 1
⌬H (2) ⫽ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲
For spin waves with propagation angle ␾ k 储 , k (c) ␲ D 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 2 c
储 ( ␾ k 储 ) is the
wave vector of the finite wave-vector spin-wave modes de-
generate with the ferromagnetic resonance mode.
The integrals in Eq. 共88兲 are evaluated easily, to give
1 2 ⫺1
⫺ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 sin
a 册 冉H 1/2
o

共 B o ⫹H s 兲 1/2
. 冊 共93兲
7406 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

When the matrix element N(0,kជ ⬙储 ) is treated as in our discus-

sion of the linewidth, with pits and islands of rectangular
shape, we find

⌬H R(2) ⫽
8H s2 b 2 pac
␲ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 D
2 2 冋 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲
1
c

⫺ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲
1
a 册冕
2 ␲ /2

0
d ␾ kជ 储 冕0
k储
(M ) dk 储
储 共 ␾ kជ 储 兲
k 储 ⫺k (c)
,

FIG. 3. Geometry of a rectangular defect, with sides a, b, and c

共96兲

储 ( ␾ kជ 储 )
k (c) is defined in Eq. 共89兲.
in the x, y, and z directions, respectively. where
The integral in the magnitude of k 储 diverges logarithmi-
The expression in Eq. 共93兲 assumes all defects to be identical cally. We therefore introduce a maximum wave vector k (M )
,
储
in size and topology. Our final step is to perform an average whose nature is discussed below. The integrals in Eq. 共96兲
appropriate to an ensemble of defects, of diverse topology. may be evaluated analytically by first integrating on angle,
That is, on a typical surface, in our picture, we may have and then on k 储 . We find
some defects with c⬎a, and others with c⬍a. We may ex-
pect the ratio c/a to fluctuate about unity in value. Upon
expanding the angular bracket in Eq. 共93兲, and averaging
over this aspect of the defect topology, we find our final
⌬H R(2) ⫽
8H s2 b 2 pac
␲ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 D
冋 2
共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲
1
c

册 再 冋冉 冊
form:
1 2
k (M
储
) 1/2
⫺ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 ln ⫺sin2 ␾ (c)

冋
a ko
8H s2 b 2 p
⌬H (2) ⫽
␲ D 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 2
H 2o ⫹ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 2
⫹ 冉 k (M
储
)
⫹cos2 ␾ (c) 冊 册冎 1/2
. 共97兲

冉冓 冔 冊 冉 冓 冔 冊册
ko
a c
⫻ ⫺1 ⫹ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 2 ⫺1 Here we have sin2␾(c)⬅Ho /(Bo⫹Hs) , and also we have de-
c a
fined k o ⬅2 ␲ M s d(B o ⫹H s )/(B o ⫹H s ⫹H o )D.

⫻sin ⫺1
冉 H 1/2
o

共 B o ⫹H s 兲 1/2
冊 . 共94兲
Finally, if we average over the topology of the defects, as
we did when we were led from Eq. 共93兲 to Eq. 共94兲, we have

This expression can be further simplified by assuming that

there is no anisotropy between both directions, i.e., 具 a/c 典
⌬H R(2) ⫽
8H s2 b 2 p
␲ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 D 2 冋 H 2o ⫹ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲 2

⫽ 具 c/a 典 .
Clearly, we have made a number of approximations and
model assumptions to reach our final form for the matrix
⫻ 冉冓 冔 冊 a
c 冉 冓 冔 冊册
⫺1 ⫹ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 2
c
a
⫺1

element N(0,kជ ⬙储 ). These assumptions affect numerical pref-

actors which enter Eq. 共94兲, but do not influence the depen-
dence of ⌬H (2) on the film parameters, nor do these affect
⫻ ln 再 冋冉 冊 k (M
储
ko
)
⫺sin2 ␾ (c)
1/2

the magnitude of ⌬H (2) to any great extent. It is clear, for

example, that if the surface defects are small in the sense
described above, surface anisotropy is the dominant contri-
⫹ 冉 k (M
储
冊 册冎
)

ko
⫹cos ␾ 2 (c)
1/2
. 共98兲

bution to the matrix element.
B. Defect induced shift in resonance field
As noted in Sec. III, the two magnon scatterings lead not
only an extrinsic contribution to the linewidth, but also lead
to a shift in the resonance field. We see this in Eq. 共49兲,
where the shift in resonance field follows if the real part of
⌺(kជ 储 ,⍀) is retained. When this is done, a discussion very
similar to that given above provides the following expression
for the shift ⌬H R(2) for the resonance field:
The results displayed in Eqs. 共94兲 and 共98兲 are the final re-
sults of the paper. Our aim has been to obtain simple, ana-
lytic expressions for the two magnon contribution to the line-
width, and the frequency shift, to provide insight into the key
physical features of the surface defects which control these
extrinsic contributions.
What remains is to discuss the value of the cutoff wave
vector k (M
储
)
which appears in Eq. 共98兲. We argue this is set
by the average width, or transverse length scale of the sur-
face defects. Upon averaging over an array of defects, we
shall have 具 a 典 ⫽ 具 c 典 . Then k (M
储 ⯝1/具 a 典 . The reason for this
)

choice is as follows. In our evaluation of N(0,kជ 储 ), we as-

sume, in essence, k 储 具 a 典 Ⰶ1 for the spin waves involved in
1 ⌺ R 共 0,⍀ FM 兲
⌬H R(2) ⫽ . 共95兲 the final state of the two magnon process. From the numbers
␥ 共 B o ⫹H s ⫹H o 兲
2
characteristic of the materials of interest, this is a reasonable
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . .
assumption, when the linewidth is analyzed. However, as we
have seen, much shorter wavelengths enter the analysis of
the frequency shift. A more complete account of the matrix
element will show N(0,kជ 储 ) will fall off when k 储 具 a 典 Ⰷ1. This
will ensure convergence of the integral. Since k (M 储
)
appears
only in the argument of a logarithm, a crude estimate of k (M
will suffice.
VI. GENERAL COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION
We begin with a review of the manner in which ferromag-
netic resonance linewidth data on ultrathin films have been
analyzed in the literature.1,6,16
In the experiments just cited, FMR experiments are per-
formed with four frequencies at most, ranging from 9.5–73
GHz. The linewidth is found to increase with frequency, in a
linear manner. Extrapolation of the data back to zero fre-
quency yields a finite intercept referred to as the zero-field
linewidth, ⌬H(0). We note from Eq. 共91兲 that the Gilbert
damping term in the Landau-Lifshitz equation provides a
contribution linear in frequency. In the data analysis, the
constant G is determined from a fit to the slope of the line-
width ⌬H as a function of the FMR resonance frequency. It
is assumed that G determined by this means then provides a
measure of damping present throughout the body of the film.
It is found that G is very frequently larger in the ultrathin
films than in bulk Fe.17 This is reasonable, of course, since
the electronic structure of such films surely differs from bulk
Fe. Finally ⌬H(0) is argued to have its origin in surface
defects.
The view just summarized is problematical, given our re-
sult in Eq. 共94兲. Quite clearly, ⌬H (2) depends on the external
magnetic field H o , and hence on ⍀ FM R . Thus, by fitting
only a few data points, it is difficult to separate the bulk
damping, surely linear in the frequency, from the extrinsic
contribution with origin in surface defects.
We illustrate this with a numerical calculation appropriate
to Fe. Here 4 ␲ M s ⫽21 kG, and D⫽2.5⫻10⫺9 G cm2 . We
have chosen H s to be ⫺15 kG, which means the normal to
the surface is an easy axis. Note, by the way, that in general
the H s2 in the prefactor of Eq. 共94兲 need not coincide in value
with the H s appearing in the remaining factors in the expres-
sion. The former has its origin in low-symmetry sites on the
sides of the model defects in our picture, while the latter in
the anisotropy experienced by spins on the flat portions of
the film surface. To calculate 具 a/c 典 and 具 c/a 典 we assume
both a and c are randomly distributed from 0 to the value
N⫻b. Then
冕 冕 冉冊 Nb Nb a gin in the nature of the spin-wave dispersion curve as we
冓冔 冓冔 冕 冕
da dc
c a 0 0 c 共 N⫹1 兲
⫽ ⫽ ⫽ ln共 N 兲 .
a c Nb Nb 2 共 N⫺1 兲
da dc
0 0
We let N⫽10, suppose b⫽3 Å , and p⫽0.3. These choices
provide the result for ⌬H (2) presented in Fig. 4. In the fre-
quency range from 10–40 GHz, we see ⌬H (2) is roughly
linear with ␯ FM R ⫽⍀ FM R /(2 ␲ ), though curvature is present
clearly. If we approximate ⌬H (2) by a straight line in this
7407
储
)
FIG. 4. Extrinsic resonance field linewidth ⌬H (2) as a function
of resonant frequency ␯ FM R ⫽⍀ FM R /(2 ␲ ), for the following
choice of parameters: H s ⫽⫺15 kG, 4 ␲ M s ⫽21 kG, N⫽10 or
具 a/c 典 ⫺1⫽0.4, b⫽3 Å , and p⫽0.3.
frequency window, and extrapolate to zero frequency, we
obtain a ‘‘zero-field linewidth’’ of approximately 15 G. Of
course, the actual extrinsic linewidth vanishes as the fre-
quency goes to zero, for the physical reasons discussed ear-
lier.
The slope of ⌬H (2) vs ␯ FM R in Fig. 4 is very close to 1
G/GHz, if one approximates the curve by a straight line in
the frequency region from 10–40 GHz. The slope provided
by the bulk term in Eq. 共91兲 is 1.13 G/Ghz, if we assume
G⫽0.8⫻108 sec⫺1 as in bulk Fe. If we combine the two
mechanisms, we will find a slope of 2.13 G/GHz within this
scheme. The two curves in Fig. 1 of Ref. 6 with largest slope
have a slope of 2.5 G/GHz.
We could fit the actual experimental slope in the data just
discussed by a slightly different choice of parameters, of
course. In view of our schematic model of surface defects,
this seems of little value. The point we wish to emphasize is
the extrinsic, surface defect induced contribution to the line-
width depends on FMR frequency in a manner which ob-
scures one’s ability to separate intrinsic and defect induced
contributions to the linewidth.
As a consequence, it is difficult to make a clear separation
between bulk damping of Gilbert form, and the surface de-
fect induced linewidth. The dominant source of the fre-
quency dependence in the extrinsic linewidth is the
sin⫺1关„H o /(B o ⫹H s )…1/2兴 factor in Eq. 共92兲. This has its ori-
have discussed, and is not influenced by details of the matrix
element. In this sense, our predicted field dependence is ro-
bust.
We have seen that in addition to providing an extrinsic
共99兲 two magnon scattering to the linewidth, the presence of sur-
face and interface defects lead to a frequency shift of the
resonance field as well. In Fig. 5, we show the frequency
variation of the defect induced shift in resonance field. The
calculations are performed for the same model of the defects
used to generate Fig. 4. We see that the shift in resonance
field is quite appreciable, and shows little frequency depen-
7408 RODRIGO ARIAS AND D. L. MILLS PRB 60

absorption line, or its integrated strength. We note that val-

ues for the magnetization M s are inferred from the integrated
strength of the FMR line,18 so a correction to the standard
expression from two magnon scattering processes is poten-
tially significant.
To address this issue, we need to explore a specific geom-
etry for the resonance measurement. We suppose the sample
is exposed to a plane polarized microwave field, applied par-
allel to the film surface, and to the x direction in Fig. 1. The
rate at which energy is absorbed, ␣ (H o ), is then proportional
to Im关 ⍀S̄ xx (0,⍀) 兴 , where S̄ xx (kជ 储 ,⍀) is given in Eq. 共48兲.
While the shift in resonance field and the linewidth are de-
duced from the structure of the denominator in Eq. 共48兲, the
factor of ⌺ y y in the numerator contributes a two magnon
scattering induced asymmetry in the lineshape, and correc-
tions to the integrated strength of the line. In what follows,
FIG. 5. Resonance field shift ⌬H R(2) as a function of resonant y y ⫹i⌺ y y . After a brief calcula-
we write ⌺ y y (0,⍀ FM )⫽⌺ (R) (I)

frequency ␯ FM R ⫽⍀ FM R /(2 ␲ ), for the following choice of param- tion based on approximations similar to those used above,
eters: H s ⫽⫺15 kG, 4 ␲ M s ⫽21 kG, N⫽10 or 具 a/c 典 ⫺1⫽0.4, b we find
⫽3 Å , p⫽0.3, and d⫽10 Å .

dence. The presence of this shift will limit one’s ability to ␣ 共 H o 兲 ⫽⍀ FM M s 冉 yy /␥

B o ⫹H s ⫺⌺ (R)
B o ⫹H s ⫹H o
冊
冉 冊
extract precise values of material parameters from FMR
resonance frequencies. ⌬H⫹␭ 共 H r ⫺H o 兲
Of course, it will prove difficult to make a realistic model ⫻ . 共102兲
of surface and interface defects, and then follow through to 共 ⌬H 兲 2 ⫹ 共 H r ⫺H o 兲 2
the required matrix elements and a quantitatively reliable
In this expression, H r is the resonance field, and ⌬H the total
prediction of the resonance linewidth and the frequency shift.
linewidth given in Eq. 共91兲. To lowest order in the rough-
We propose the following procedure. Since our numerical
ness,
calculations show the extrinsic contribution to the linewidth

冉 冊
has a dependence on ␯ FM R which is dominated by the
1 G⍀ FM
sin⫺1关„H o /(B o ⫹H s )…1/2兴 factor in Eq. 共94兲, for the purposes ␭⬅ ⫹⌺ (I)
yy . 共103兲
of fitting data, one may employ the simple expression ␥ 共 B o ⫹H s 兲 ␥ M s

⌬H (2)
⫽⌫ ex 共 H o 兲 sin ⫺1
冋冑 Ho
册 共100兲
Upon integrating ␣ (H o ) over the absorption line, we find

冉 冊
,
B o ⫹H s
where, in fact the field dependence 关and hence the depen- 冕␣ 共 H o 兲 dH o ⫽ ␲ ⍀ FM M s
yy /␥
B o ⫹H s ⫺⌺ (R)
B o ⫹H s ⫹H o
,
dence of ⌫ ex (H o ) on ␯ FM R 兴 may be assumed weak and set 共104兲
aside. Unless the film is very thin indeed, we suggest that the
bulk damping may be accounted for by using the Gilbert independent of the parameter ␭.
constant G⫽0.8⫻108 sec⫺1 , for bulk Fe. Given a value of The integrated strength of the absorption line, and hence
⌫ ex (H o ) for a particular film, the shift in resonance field is one’s ability to extract values for M s from this in our model
of the resonance experiment, is influenced by the factor of

⌬H R(2) ⫽⌫ ex 共 H o 兲 ln 再 冋冉 k (M
储
ko
)
⫺sin2 ␾ (c) 冊 1/2
y y / ␥ in Eq. 共104兲. If we have Fe in mind, B o is larger than
⌺ (R)
20 kG. The quantity ⌺ (R) y y / ␥ is comparable in value to the
shift in resonance field estimated above. Thus unless H s is

⫹ 冉 k (M
储
ko
)
⫹cos2 ␾ (c) 冊 册冎
1/2
. 共101兲
such that we are in the near proximity of the spin reorienta-
tion transition (H s ⯝⫺B o ), ⌺ (R)y y / ␥ introduces a correction to
the integrated strength of the line at the level of one percent,
To employ Eq. 共101兲, one needs a value for k (M 储
)
. Since this within the framework of the picture of the defects used
enters only in the argument of the logarithm, a rough esti- above.
mate of 具 a 典 and 具 c 典 should suffice for this purpose. Thus the The parameter ␭ introduces deviation from Lorentzian
parameter ⌫ ex (H o ) may be extracted from linewidth data shape in the FMR line, through the asymmetric term which
without the need to resort to a specific model of the defect. reminds one of the Fano line shape. Note that ␭⫽0 even for
With this parameter in hand, the shift in the resonance fre- a perfect film where ⌺ y y ⬅0. Clearly, the presence of the two
quency induced by the defects may be estimated from Eq. magnon scattering influences the value of ␭, and hence the
共101兲. degree of asymmetry present. However, we expect ␭ to lie in
We inquire about one further issue. This is the question of the range of 10⫺2 or somewhat smaller. Thus, once again,
whether the defect induced modifications in the response within the framework of the model offered here, the effect is
function have a significant effect in the shape of the FMR a very modest one.
PRB 60 EXTRINSIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE . . .
We conclude by reminding the reader that the two mag-
non mechanism described and analyzed here is operative
only when the magnetization is in plane. As we have seen in
Sec. II, when the magnetization is normal to the film sur-
faces, there are no short-wavelength spin waves degenerate
with the FMR mode. In Ref. 10, where the mechanism ex-
plored here is discussed briefly, as noted above, data is pre-
sented which shows that the linewidth indeed decreases
markedly, as the magnetization is tipped out of plane.
Of interest would be the study of the in plane anisotropy
of the FMR linewidth, for a film deposited on a stepped
surface. Consider an ideal stepped surface, where the pla-
teaus are perfectly flat, and the step edges straight, with no
kinks present. The kជ 储 ⫽0 FMR mode may then scatter only
to short-wavelength final-state spin waves with wave vector
perpendicular to the step edges. If the magnetization M ជ s is
parallel to the film surfaces, but perpendicular to the step
edges, the final-state spin waves will have a negative coeffi-
cient for the dipole induced linear term in the dispersion
relation. Thus for this geometry one will realize short-
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The comments and suggestions of Professor B. Heinrich
have proved most valuable during the course of our research.
This research was completed with support from the Army
Research Office, under Contract No. CS0001028. That of
R.A. was supported partially by the Organization of Ameri-
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