On the Existence Conditions of Surface Spin Wave Modes in (Ga,Mn)As Thin Films

Abstract

Spin-wave resonance is a newly emerged method for studying surface magnetic anisotropy and surface spinwave modes in (Ga,Mn)As thin films. The existence of surface spin-wave modes in (Ga,Mn)As thin films has recently been reported in the literature; surface spin-wave modes have been observed in the in-plane configuration (with variable azimuth angle φM between the in-plane magnetization of the film and the surface [100] crystal axis), in the azimuth angle range between two in-plane critical angles φc1 and φc2. We show here that cubic surface anisotropy is an essential factor determining the existence conditions of the above-mentioned surface spin-wave modes: conditions favorable for the occurrence of surface spin-wave modes in a (Ga,Mn)As thin film in the inplane configuration are fulfilled for those azimuth orientations of the magnetization of the sample that lie around the hard axes of cubic magnetic anisotropy. This implies that a hard cubic anisotropy axis can be regarded in (Ga,Mn)As thin films as an easy axis for surface spin pinning.