Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Spectral and Angle-Resolved Magneto-Optical Characterization of Photonic Nanostructures
Published on: November 21, 2019
Magnons and Phonons Optically Driven out of Local Equilibrium in a Magnetic Insulator
Kyongmo An1, Kevin S Olsson1, Annie Weathers2
1Department of Physics, Center for Complex Quantum Systems, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Abstract:
The coupling and possible nonequilibrium between magnons and other energy carriers have been used to explain several recently discovered thermally driven spin transport and energy conversion phenomena. Here, we report experiments in which local nonequilibrium between magnons and phonons in a single crystalline bulk magnetic insulator, Y_{3}Fe_{5}O_{12}, has been created optically within a focused laser spot and probed directly via micro-Brillouin light scattering. Through analyzing the deviation in the magnon number density from the local equilibrium value, we obtain the diffusion length of thermal magnons. By explicitly establishing and observing local nonequilibrium between magnons and phonons, our studies represent an important step toward a quantitative understanding of various spin-heat coupling phenomena.
Related Concept Videos
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
Standing Waves in a Cavity
Ferromagnetism
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance
Paramagnetism
Diamagnetism
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets....

