Scattering of spin current injected in Pd(001)

We have studied spin pumping in Pd/Fe(001) ultrathin crystalline films prepared on GaAs(001) by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). FMR measurements show that the Pd(001) overlayers lead to an appreciable attenuation of the spin current, which was generated by the precessing magnetization of Fe. Pd overlayers thicker than about 10 nm act as perfect spin sinks. It is argued that the loss of spin coherence in Pd is caused by scattering with spin fluctuations. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.