Nanomagnonic devices based on the spin-transfer torque

Magnonics(1-3) is based on signal transmission and processing by spin waves (or their quanta, called magnons) propagating in a magnetic medium. In the same way as nanoplasmonics makes use of metallic nanostructures to confine and guide optical-frequency plasmon-polaritons(4,5), nanomagnonics uses nanoscale magnetic waveguides to control the propagation of spin waves(6). Recent advances in the physics of nanomagnetism, such as the discovery of spin-transfer torque(7,8), have created possibilities for nanomagnonics. In particular, it was recently demonstrated that nanocontact spin-torque devices can radiate spin waves(9-11), serving as local nanoscale sources of signals for magnonic applications(12). However, the integration of spin-torque sources with nanoscale magnetic waveguides, which is necessary for the implementation of integrated spin-torque magnonic circuits, has not been achieved to date. Here, we suggest and experimentally demonstrate a new approach to this integration, utilizing dipolar field-induced magnonic nanowaveguides. The waveguides exhibit good spectral matching with spin-torque nano-oscillators and enable efficient directional transmission of spin waves. Our results provide a practical route for the implementation of integrated magnonic circuits utilizing spin transfer.