  We describe excitation of dipole-exchange spin waves in insulating magnetic
thin films by spin current injection at the surface of the film. An easy-axis
magnetic surface anisotropy can induce a non-chiral surface spin wave mode with
penetration depth inversely proportional to the strength of the surface
anisotropy, which strongly reduces the critical current and enhances the
excitation power. The importance of the interface spin wave modes on the
excitation spectrum is reduced by spin pumping, which depends on the quality of
the interface as expressed by the spin mixing conductance.
