Spatial asymmetry of optically excited spin waves in anisotropic ferromagnetic film

Abstract

We analytically discuss and micromagnetically prove the ways to tune the spatial asymmetry of the initial phase, amplitude, and wavevectors of magnetostatic waves driven by ultrafast laser excitation. We consider the optical pulse to heat a thin ferromagnetic metallic film and abruptly decrease the saturation magnetization and the parameter of uniaxial anisotropy. The two corresponding terms of laser-induced torque have different azimuthal symmetries, with the 4-fold symmetry of the demagnetization-related term, and the isotropic distribution of the anisotropy-related term. As a result, the initial phase and amplitude of excited magnetostatic waves have a non-trivial azimuthal distribution tunable with the angle between the external magnetic field and anisotropy axis, and the laser spot diameter. Moreover, the variation of these parameters tunes the distribution of wavevectors, resulting in additional asymmetry between the spectral components of the waves propagating in different directions.