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Modeling magnetoelastic wave interactions in magnetic films and heterostructures: A finite-difference approach

Peter Flauger1,2,*, Matthias Küß3, Michael K. Steinbauer1,2,4, Florian Bruckner1, Bernhard Emhofer1, Emeline Nysten5, Matthias Weiß5, Dieter Suess1,2, Hubert J. Krenner5 et al.

Manfred Albrecht3 and Claas Abert1,2,†

  • *Contact author: peter.flauger@univie.ac.at
  • †Contact author: claas.abert@univie.ac.at
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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 034050 – Published 16 March, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9txq-sc8f

Abstract

This paper is a contribution to the Physical Review Applied collection titled Phononics and Metamaterials.

The (inverse) magnetostrictive effect in ferromagnets couples the magnetic properties to the mechanical stress, allowing for an interaction between the magnetic and mechanical degrees of freedom. In this work, we present a time-integration scheme for the self-consistent simulation of coupled magnetoelastic dynamics within the framework of finite-difference micromagnetism. The proposed implementation extends the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation by a strain-induced effective field and concurrently solves the elastic equation of motion, while correctly incorporating stress and strain discontinuities at material interfaces. We then present a comprehensive set of examples, ranging from static stress configurations over material boundaries to simulations of surface-acoustic-wave attenuation in magnetically structured thin and thick films. These computational experiments both validate the implementation and underscore the significance of properly handling jump and boundary conditions in magnon-phonon interaction studies.

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This article appears in the following collection:

Phononics and Metamaterials

Physical Review Applied is pleased to present a Collection on Phononics and Metamaterials, in which diverse developments in research on sound waves are gathered to offer a comprehensive view of both the state of the art and the challenges ahead. The Collection is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Sarah Benchabane (1980–2024), honoring her outstanding contributions to phononics and wave physics. Contributions to this Collection will be published beginning in 2025 and continuing into 2026. This Collection is being curated by Guest Editors Muamer Kadic, Daniel Torrent, and Abdelkrim Khelif.

Article Text

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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 034050– Published 16 March, 2026
  • Received 11 September 2025
  • Revised 28 November 2025
  • Accepted 2 February 2026
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