Effects of competition between the anisotropy and the spin quantum number on the magnon energy gap in a four-layer ferromagnetic superlattice

The magnon energy bands are studied for a four-layer ferromagnetic superlattice, with regard to the effects of the competition between the anisotropy and the spin quantum number. A special attention is also paid on the effects of the symmetry of the system. It is found that three modulated energy gaps exist in the magnon energy band along K_x direction perpendicular to the superlattice plane. The magnetic anisotropy affects significantly the magnon energy gaps. The zero energy gap Δω₂₃ correlates with the conditions between anisotropy constants, D₁+D₃=D₂+D₄ and D₁=D₃ (or D₂=D₄), while the disappearance of the magnon energy gaps Δω₁₂ and Δω₃₄ corresponds to a translational symmetry of x-direction in a unit cell. When the parameters of the system deviate from these conditions, the energy gaps Δω₁₂, Δω₂₃ and Δω₃₄ become larger. There is a competition effect of the anisotropy and the spin quantum number on the magnon energy gaps Δω₁₂ and Δω₂₃. When the symmetry of the system is higher, the competition can achieve a balance to cause the zero energy gap.