Spin diffusion length associated with out-of-plane conductivity of Pt in spin pumping experiments

Open Access

Abstract

We present a broadband ferromagnetic resonance study of the Gilbert damping enhancement (α) due to spin pumping in NiFe/Pt bilayers. The bilayers, which have negligible interfacial spin memory loss, are studied as a function of the Pt layer thickness (tPt) and temperature (100–293 K). Within the framework of diffusive spin pumping theory, we demonstrate that Dyakonov-Perel (DP) or Elliot-Yaffet (EY) spin relaxation mechanisms acting alone are incompatible with our observations. In contrast, if we consider that the relation between spin relaxation characteristic time (τs) and momentum relaxation characteristic time (τp) is determined by a superposition of DP and EY mechanisms, the qualitative and quantitative agreement with experimental results is excellent. Remarkably, we found that τp must be determined by the out-of-plane electrical resistivity (ρ) of the Pt film and hence its spin diffusion length (λPt) is independent of tPt. Our work settles the controversy regarding the tPt dependence of λPt by demonstrating its fundamental connection with ρ considered along the same direction of spin current flow. ; This work was supported by FONDECYT Grant No. 3170908, ANID FONDECYT/REGULAR 1201102, ANID PIA/APOYO AFB180002, ANID FONDEQUIP EQM140161, and European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 645658 (DAFNEOX Project). ; Peer reviewed