Antiferromagnetic magnonic crystals

Abstract

We describe the features of magnonic crystals based upon antiferromagnetic elements. Our main results are that with a periodic modulation of either magnetic fields or system characteristics, such as the anisotropy, it is possible to tailor the spin-wave spectra of antiferromagnetic systems into a band-like organization that displays a segregation of allowed and forbidden bands. The main features of the band structure, such as bandwidths and band gaps, can be readily manipulated. Our results provide a natural link between two steadily growing fields of spintronics: antiferromagnetic spintronics and magnonics.