Spin wave excitation patterns generated by spin torque oscillators

Spin torque nano-oscillators (STNO) are nanoscale devices that can convert a direct current into short wavelength spin wave excitations in a ferromagnetic layer. We show that arrays of STNO can be used to create directional spin wave radiation similarly to electromagnetic antennas. Combining STNO excitations with planar spin waves also creates interference patterns. We show that these interference patterns are static and have information on the wavelength and phase of the spin waves emitted from the STNO. We describe a means of actively controlling spin wave radiation patterns with the direct current flowing through STNO, which is useful in on-chip communication and information processing and could be a promising technique for studying short wavelength spin waves in different materials.