Growth and spin-wave properties of thin Y3Fe5O12 films on Si substrates

We describe synthesis of submicron Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) films sputtered on Si substrates and present results of the investigation of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and spin waves in YIG/SiO2/Si structures. It is found that decrease of the annealing time leads to essential reduction of the FMR linewidth Delta H and, consequently, to reduction of relaxation losses of spin waves. Spin-wave propagation in in-plane magnetized YIG/SiO2/Si structures is studied. We observe the asymmetry of amplitude-frequency characteristics of the Damon-Eshbach spin waves caused by different localizations of spin waves at the free YIG surface and at the YIG/SiO2 interface. Growth of the generating microwave power leads to spin-wave instability and changes amplitude-frequency characteristics of spin waves. (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.