Materials Letters 256 (2019) 126662

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Materials Letters
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mlblue

Role of the spin-orbit coupling on the effective damping parameter in

Y3Fe5O12/(Ag,W) bilayers explored through magnetoimpedance effect
J.G.S. Santos a, E.F. Silva a, W.O. Rosa b, F. Bohn a, M.A. Correa a,⇑
a
Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59078-900 Natal, RN, Brazil
b
Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: We investigated the magnetoimpedance effect in Y3Fe5O12/(Ag, W) bilayers and explored the role of the
Received 17 July 2019 spin-orbit coupling on the effective damping parameter. From this perspective, we showed that the mag-
Received in revised form 2 September 2019 netoimpedance effect is a powerful tool for the characterization of ferrimagnetic insulators. The results
Accepted 11 September 2019
obtained for the bilayers enabled us to infer quantities as the effective saturation magnetization and
Available online 12 September 2019
effective damping parameter, as well as to verify the influence of the non-magnetic metal on the magne-
tization dynamics of the whole bilayer. Thus, we demonstrated the possibility of tailoring the effective
Keywords:
damping parameter in this system, and we confirmed its dependence with the non-magnetic layer cap-
Damping parameter
Magnetization dynamics
ping the ferrimagnetic insulator.
Spintronics Ó 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
YIG alloy

1. Introduction (Z ¼ R þ iX) of a sample when it is submitted an external magnetic

In the last decades, the demand for high-performance electronic
devices has remarkably increased. In this field, the emergence of
sensor elements with reduced dimensions have brought to light
the possibility of their integration in complex devices, in which
several steps for production are necessary. Within this context,
magnetic thin films became a playground for sensor elements,
especially due the stability of the magnetic properties, even in
reduced dimensions [1–8].
Focusing on this perspective, the ferrimagnetic insulator Yttrium
Iron Garnet (Y3Fe5O12; YIG) arose as an attractive material to appli-
cations in magnetic sensors. Specifically, beyond its electric and
magnetic features, YIG is a well-known material presenting low
magnetic damping parameter. From the technological point of view,
these characteristics favour the development of high-efficiency
devices, since it is possible to engineer systems having low-
magnetization relaxation and being free of parasitic heating effects
due to load currents. In this scenario, YIG/non-magnetic metal bilay-
ers allow us to tailor systems for fundamental studies on injection of
spin currents and its influence on the magnetization dynamics.
The magnetoimpedance (MI) effect emerges as a powerful tool
to the investigation of the magnetization dynamics, not just from
the perspective of a measurement technique, but also as an inter-
esting way to integrate sensor elements to electronic devices. MI
effect corresponds to the change of the electrical impedance
field. Consequently, the electrical and magnetic properties of the
material have fundamental role on the MI response. In particular,
the electrical properties ensure us the tuning of the sample’s impe-
dance and its following integration in the measurement system
(stripline and impedance analyzer). In addition, the magnetic prop-
erties allow us the control of the magnetic permeability of the
whole sample by applying an external magnetic field. The fields
configuration found in MI experiments is similar to that in a ferro-
magnetic resonance (FMR) measurement, in which the hac alternat-
ing magnetic field is perpendicular to the external magnetic field H
[9]. Therefore, the MI effect may bring interesting information on
resonance mechanisms at moderated (MHz) and high (GHz) fre-
quency regimes, in saturated and unsaturated magnetic samples.
In this paper, we explored the role of the spin-orbit coupling on
the effective damping parameter in YIG/(Ag,W) bilayers employing
the magnetoimpedance effect. The results obtained for the bilayers
enabled us to infer quantities as the effective saturation magneti-
zation and effective damping parameter, as well as to verify the
influence of the non-magnetic metal on the magnetization dynam-
ics of the whole bilayer. Thus, we demonstrated the possibility of
tailoring the effective damping parameter in this system, and we
confirmed its dependence with the non-magnetic layer capping
the ferrimagnetic insulator.
2. Experiment

⇑ Corresponding author. Y3Fe5O12/(Ag, W) bilayers were deposited using the magnetron

E-mail address: marciocorrea@dfte.ufrn.br (M.A. Correa). sputtering technique. The films consist of a YIG layer with a

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2019.126662
0167-577X/Ó 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
2 J.G.S. Santos et al. / Materials Letters 256 (2019) 126662
thickness of 300 nm covered by a non-magnetic metallic layer with
100 nm. The deposition procedure was performed in two steps.
First, we growed the YIG layer onto a GGG(111) substrate with
dimensions of 4  4 mm2 using the following parameters: base
pressure of 5  107 Torr, deposition pressure of 3  103 Torr with
Ar at 500 sccm constant flow, and 50 W set in a RF source, resulting
in a deposition rate of 0:042 nm/s. Next, YIG films were annealed in
atmosphere at 700  C for 2 h, with heating rate of 10  C/s, followed
by the cooling of the system by inertia. In the second step, the non-
magnetic metallic layer was deposited considering the parameters:
base pressure of 5  107 Torr, deposition pressure of 3  103 Torr
with Ar at 14 sccm constant flow, and 30 W for Ag and 50 W for W
set in a DC source, reaching deposition rates of 0:157 nm/s and
0:053 nm/s, respectively.
The structural properties were obtained through X-ray diffrac-
tion (XRD) using a Rigaku MineFlex II, with CuKa radiation in a
h  2h geometry. The quasi-static magnetic properties of the bilay-
ers were investigated at room temperature through magnetization
curves measured with a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer, Lake-
Shore model 7407.
The magnetization dynamics was first investigated through
FMR, using a Bruker EPR system operating at 9:83 GHz (mode
TE011 ) [10]. The external magnetic field applied at the film plane
varied from 2:0 up to 3:5 kOe, with modulation of 0:1 Oe at
100 kHz. The FMR experiment was carried out as a function of
the magnetic field for distinct hH . It is worth to notice that the sam-
ples are square shaped, and therefore we define hH as the angle
between the external magnetic field and a given side of the sample
taken as reference.
The MI effect was measured using an Agilent RF-impedance
analyzer model E4991, with an E4991A test head connected to a
stripline in which the sample is the central conductor, following
the procedures employed by our group [10–12]. Fig. 1 depicts
the schematic of our MI experimental setup. MI measurements
were performed over a frequency range of 0:1 and 2:5 GHz, for
hH ¼ 0 and with in-plane magnetic field varying between 350
Oe. While the external magnetic field was varied, a 0 dBm
(1 mW) constant power was applied to the sample, characterizing
a linear regime of driving signal. For each magnetic field, the fre-
quency was swept and the real R and imaginary X components of
the impedance Z were simultaneously acquired.
3. Results and discussion
Figure 2(a) shows the XRD result for the YIG film after the
annealing and before the deposition of the non-magnetic metallic
layer. The diffractogram reveals a peak at 2h  51:27 , which is
associated with the GGG(111) substrate, as well as a very
Fig. 1. In the right, schematic representation of the stripline employed in the MI
experiment, where the sample is the central conductor. In the left, sample structure
and magnetic fields configuration in the MI experiment. In particular, the
orientation of the external magnetic field H depicted in the image defines hH ¼ 0 .
low-intensity peak at 2h  51 , assigning the YIG(444) preferential
growth [10,13].
Figure 2(b) shows the in-plane magnetization curves for both
studied bilayers, measured at the named hH ¼ 0 . From our results,
we demonstrate that the YIG crystallization process was success-
fully obtained. The magnetic properties of the bilayers show sub-
stantial similarity, as expected. In addition, measurements
performed for distinct hH angles (not shown here) reveal an isotro-
pic in-plane magnetic behavior, with coercive field of around 8:2
Oe.
Figure 3 shows representative FMR absorption curves for both
bilayers. The results reveal the efficiency of the crystallization pro-
cess, and corroborate the isotropic in-plane magnetic behavior for
of the YIG films. From the dependence of the resonance field Hr
with hH shown in the inset, we find that the changes in Hr are smal-
ler than 1% for both bilayers, with average values of 2:65 kOe for
YIG/Ag and 2:71 kOe for YIG/W. The linewidths DH as a function
of the hH (also in the inset) present average values of around 29
Oe and 32 Oe for the YIG/Ag and YIG/W bilayers, respectively. In
the same fashion, this analysis was also performed with the bare
YIG film, showing resonance field of 2:65 kOe and linewidth of
26 Oe.
It is known that the FMR linewidth brings information on the
effective damping parameter a of the whole sample. Therefore,
by considering Ag and W, we explored the role of the spin-orbit
coupling on the effective damping parameter of bilayers produced
with distinct non-magnetic metals capping the YIG layer. In our
specific case, unconventionally, we focus our attention on the mag-
netization dynamics in the bilayers through the MI effect and
employ this technique to estimate a.
To make a direct comparison between the MI results obtained
for both bilayers, we define the variations of the real R component
of the impedance Z as
RðHÞ  RðHmax Þ
DR ¼ ; ð1Þ
RðHmax Þ
where RðHÞ is the value at a given field, and R(Hmax ) is the corre-
sponding value at the maximum field (saturated regime). Similar
definitions are taken for the imaginary X component and to the
impedance Z itself.
Figure 4 shows the MI response for the investigated bilayers. In
particular, Figs. 4(a.I) and (b.I) bring a general overview of the real
R component of the impedance for both samples. Given that the
curves present symmetrical behavior, we focus here just on the
positive branch. Remarkable, the maximum values of the DR shift
toward higher magnetic fields as the frequency increases, a
fingerprint of the FMR effect acting on the MI. In particular, this
Fig. 2. (a) XRD pattern for the YIG film grown onto GGG(1 1 1) substrate after
annealing and before the deposition of the non-magnetic metallic layer. The
patterns are obtained from ICSD 9237 and ICSD 60167 for the GGG(1 1 1) and YIG,
respectively. (b) In-plane magnetization curves for both bilayers. Here the
paramagnetic contribution of the substrate was subtracted from the experimental
data.
 J.G.S. Santos et al. / Materials Letters 256 (2019) 126662
Fig. 3. FMR absorption spectra, measured at 9:83 GHz, for both bilayers. In the
inset, Hr and DH as a function of hH .
Fig. 4. MI measurements for the studied bilayers. (a.I) Density plot of the DR as a
function of field and frequency and (a.II) DZ as a function of the external magnetic
field for selected frequencies for the YIG/Ag bilayer. (b.I, b.II) Similar plots for the
YIG/W bilayer.
signature is also found in the DZ curves, as we can see in
Figs. 4(a.II) and (b.II).
Generally, in samples consisting of metallic magnetic materials,
the skin and FMR effects are often the main mechanisms responsi-
ble for changes in the magnetoimpedance at moderate and high
frequencies [14,15]. However, in our case, the mechanisms are
drastically simplified. Here, the skin effect is wholly suppressed
due to the nature of the YIG, leading the FMR effect as the primary
mechanism acting in the MI measurements. Noticeably, the FMR
effect already emerges at the moderate frequency regime.
Going beyond, we study the magnetization dynamics in YIG
films when distinct metallic layers are used to cap the magnetic
layer. In particular, considering the similarity of the magnetic
properties of our bilayers, we observe that the magnetic dynamic
response is tuned by choice of the non-magnetic metal. While
the Ag presents low spin-orbit coupling, the W has high spin-
orbit coupling value [16], leading to distinct effective damping
parameter a for the whole bilayer. These features are confirmed
in Fig. 5. Specifically, Figs. 5(a, b) present the resonance frequency
f r as a function of the external magnetic field H, obtained from the
DR response. The relation between f r and magnetic field H is well
described by the Kittel formula for films [17],
3
Fig. 5. (a) f r as a function of the magnetic field H for the YIG/Ag bilayer. (b) Similar
plot for the YIG/W bilayer. The blue lines are the fits performed using the Kittel
formula, Eq. (2). For these fits, c=2p ¼ 2:8 GHz/kOe and Hk ¼ 3:4 Oe are used for
both bilayers. (c) DH as a function of the frequency f. The red lines are the fits
obtained using Eq. (3).
c qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
fr ¼ ðH þ Hk ÞðH þ Hk þ 4pM eff Þ; ð2Þ
2p
where c is the gyromagnetic ratio, Hk the in-plane anisotropy field,
and 4pMeff the effective magnetization. For the fitting, we consid-
ered c=2p ¼ 2:8 GHz/kOe [11] for YIG, and Hk ¼ 3:4 Oe for both
bilayers. As a result, values of 4pMeff  1850 G and  1705 G are
obtained for the YIG/Ag and YIG/W, respectively. These values are
in agreement with previous studies performed for YIG films [18,19].
The effective damping parameter of our bilayers is estimated
from the linewidth DHr (HWHM) considering the relation
2pf a
DH r ¼ DH  þ ; ð3Þ
c
where DH is the extrinsic inhomogeneous contribution to DHr , and
f is the frequency. Hence, the effective damping parameter a can be
estimated, as shown in Fig. 5(c). In our case, we observe values of
around 19 Oe and 21 Oe for the inhomogeneous contribution of
YIG/Ag and YIG/W, respectively. At the same time, values of
aAg  0:0017 and aW  0:0033 are obtained. The a values are in con-
cordance with the intensity of the spin-orbit interaction of the
employed metallic layers. In particular, while systems with smaller
a values lead to a broadening of the MI peak, as seen in Fig. 4(a) for
the YIG/Ag, samples with higher a values lead to an enlargement of
the MI peak, as we can notice in Fig. 4(b) for the YIG/W.
After all, the obtained results confirm the magnetoimpedance
effect as a robust technique for the characterization of ferrimag-
netic insulators, in a similar manner to that performed using the
traditional experimental FMR bandwidth arrangement. Here, our
results enabled us to tailor the magnetic dynamic response by
selecting the appropriate metallic cap layer to compose the bilayer.
In this sense, we pave the way for future integrations of ferromag-
netic insulators with technological devices.
4. Conclusions
In summary, here we have investigated the magnetization
dynamics in Y3Fe5O12/(Ag, W) bilayers by employing the MI effect
4 J.G.S. Santos et al. / Materials Letters 256 (2019) 126662
and, explored the role of the spin-orbit coupling on the effective
damping parameter. We have inferred a values of 0:0017 and
0:0033 for the YIG/Ag and YIG/W bilayers, respectively. These
results are directly connected with the choice of the non-
magnetic metal used as cap-layer and the corresponding strength
of the spin-orbit interaction, as expected. Thus, we have demon-
strated the possibility of tailoring the effective damping parameter
in the whole system and confirmed its dependency with the non-
magnetic layer capping the ferrimagnetic insulator. In addition,
the use of the MI effect and the bilayer sample geometry have
allowed us to perform an extensive investigation of the magnetiza-
tion dynamics in ferrimagnetic insulator, which is usually obtained
by VNA technique. In particular, the MI effect has proved to be a
powerful tool for such goal, not only for the sample characteriza-
tion itself, but also to bring to light a new approach to the integra-
tion of magnetic insulators in electronics devices.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgement
The research is supported by the Brazilian agencies CNPq,
CAPES and FAPERN.
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