Thickness-Dependent Spin Pumping in YIG/W$_{90}$Ti$_{10}$ Bilayers

TL;DR

This study explores how the thickness and phase of WTi layers influence spin pumping efficiency in YIG/WTi bilayers, revealing optimal conditions for maximizing spin mixing conductance relevant for spintronic devices.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of thickness-dependent spin mixing conductance in YIG/WTi bilayers, highlighting the impact of alloy phase transitions on spin transport.

Findings

Peak spin mixing conductance at 3 nm WTi layer.

Structural phase transition affects spin transport efficiency.

Ti doping reduces effective spin mixing conductance.

Abstract

We investigate the spin pumping efficiency in YIG/YIG/W$_{90}$Ti$_{10}$ bilayers by measuring the thickness dependence of both the YIG and WTi layers using broadband ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy. The deposition of a 5-nm WTi layer leads to enhanced Gilbert damping in thinner YIG films, indicating efficient spin current injection. From the spin pumping contribution to the damping of the YIG/WTi bilayer, we determine an effective spin mixing conductance of $ 3.3 \times 10^{18}~\mathrm{m}^{-2} $ for the 5-nm WTi layer. Further measurements with varying WTi thickness reveal a non-monotonic dependence of spin mixing conductance, peaking at $ 4.2 \times 10^{18}~\mathrm{m}^{-2} $ for a 3-nm WTi layer. This behavior is attributed to a structural phase transition from the high-spin--orbit $ \beta $-phase to the less efficient $ \alpha $-phase in thicker WTi layers. Furthermore, comparative analysis with YIG/W bilayers shows that Ti doping significantly reduces $ g^{\uparrow\downarrow}_{\mathrm{eff}} $. These findings highlight the critical role of alloy composition and structural phase in tuning spin transport for spintronic applications.