Grain-size dependence of magnetic microstructure and high-frequency susceptibility of nanocrystalline thin films: A micromagnetic simulation study
The size of crystallites is one of the most important factors that determine the key characteristics of nanocrystalline thin magnetic films that make them very promising media for various applications. In this paper, using micromagnetic simulation, we study in detail the influence of the grain size on the magnetic microstructure of the films and its relation with high-frequency dynamics of magnetization. When the grain size exceeds some critical value Dcr, a sharp broadening and shift of the ferromagnetic resonance line are observed at certain frequencies of the alternating magnetic field. Using a two-magnon scattering model, it is shown that these effects are caused by the scattering of spin waves on the inhomogeneous stochastic magnetic structure—magnetization ripple. An expression for the determination of the critical size Dcr is obtained. The micromagnetic simulation results agree with the main conclusions of the static and dynamic theories of magnetization ripple and also confirmed by experimental data reported by other authors.