Magneto-electric tuning of the phase of propagating spin waves

The utilization of a magnetoelectric film composite to control, by an electric field, the phase of magnetostatic surface spin waves propagating along thin films is reported. Laminates of ferromagnetic films of Ni and NiFe are deposited on a ferroelectric substrate, lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate. The phase of propagating spinwaves is shown to be modulated by an electric field while traveling a finite distance along the surface. The observed phase change in the spinwaves is in agreement with the anisotropy field changes measured with magneto optical Kerr effect hysteresis loops. A quantitative agreement is demonstrated. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4734499]