A simple theory of spin-wave relaxation in ferromagnetic metals

The anisotropic exchange interaction between localized spins and conduction electrons is described by an appropriate spin hamiltonian. This is used to calculate the lifetime of magnons for arbitrary values of Λ_eq, where Λ_e is the electron mean free path and q the magnon wavevector. At Λ_eq ? 1, this lifetime depends on the angle between q and the saturation magnetization. The antisymmetric part of anisotropic exchange (Dzialoshinsky-Moriya interaction) may dominate the relaxation of spin-waves of large q. The complicated band structure of transition metals gives rise to a magnon lifetime independent of Λ_e. The contribution of isotropic exchange is also considered.