Unified First-Principles Study of Gilbert Damping, Spin-Flip Diffusion, and Resistivity in Transition Metal Alloys

Using a formulation of first-principles scattering theory that includes disorder and spin-orbit coupling on an equal footing, we calculate the resistivity rho, spin-flip diffusion length l(sf), and Gilbert damping parameter alpha for Ni1-xFex substitutional alloys as a function of x. For the technologically important Ni80Fe20 alloy, Permalloy, we calculate values of rho = 3.5 +/- 0.15 mu Omega cm, l(sf) 5.5 +/- 0.3 nm, and alpha = 0.0046 +/- 0.0001 compared to experimental low-temperature values in the range 4.2-4.8 mu Omega cm for rho, 5.0-6.0 nm for l(sf), and 0.004-0.013 for alpha, indicating that the theoretical formalism captures the most important contributions to these parameters.