Frequency multiplication by collective nanoscale spin-wave dynamics.

Frequency multiplication is a process in modern electronics in which harmonics of the input frequency are generated in nonlinear electronic circuits. Devices based on the propagation and interaction of spin waves are a promising alternative to conventional electronics. The characteristic frequency of these excitations is in the gigahertz (GHz) range and devices are not readily interfaced with conventional electronics. Here, we locally probe the magnetic excitations in a soft magnetic material by optical methods and show that megahertz-range excitation frequencies cause switching effects on the micrometer scale, leading to phase-locked spin-wave emission in the GHz range. Indeed, the frequency multiplication process inside the magnetic medium covers six octaves and opens exciting perspectives for spintronic applications, such as all-magnetic mixers or on-chip GHz sources.