Magnonic crystals: towards terahertz frequencies

This topical review presents an overview of the recent experimental and theoretical attempts on designing magnonic crystals for operation at different frequencies. The focus is put on the microscopic physical mechanisms involved in the formation of the magnonic band structure, allowed as well as forbidden magnon states in various systems, including ultrathin films, multilayers and artificial magnetic structures. The essential criteria for the formation of magnonic bandgaps in different frequency regimes are explained in connection with the magnon dynamics in such structures. The possibility of designing small-size magnonic crystals for operation at ultrahigh frequencies (terahertz and sub-terahertz regime) is discussed. Recently discovered magnonic crystals based on topological defects and using periodic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, are outlined. Different types of magnonic crystals, capable of operation at different frequency regimes, are put within a rather unified picture.