Magnetic thin film studies in the time domain range from domain propagation in the sub microsecond regime to free spin precession in the picosecond to nanosecond regime up very fast demagnetization-remagnetizaton processes in the femtosecond regime. Scattering methods with x-rays and neutrons play a prominent role in elucidating the time dependent properties of magnetic thin films and heterostructures.

After introducing the methods I will present recent time dependent reversal studies of Fe films and Fe nanowires using polarized neutron reflectivity. Furthermore I present resonant soft x-ray reflectivity investigations of the free and damped spin precession in thin Py films as well as spin pumping effect in spin valve structures.