Configuration and temperature dependence of magnetic damping in spin valves

Using vector-analyzer ferromagnetic resonance, we have studied the microwave susceptibility of a Py/Co/Cu/Co/MnIr spin valve over a large temperature range (5-450 K) and as a function of the magnetic configuration. An effective magnetization and Gilbert damping constant of 1.1 T and 0.021, respectively, are found for the permalloy free layer, with no discernible variation in temperature observed for either quantities. In contrast, the pinned layer magnetization is reduced by heating, and the exchange bias collapses near a temperature of 450 K. The ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of the free layer increases by 500 MHz when the layer magnetizations are aligned in antiparallel, which is attributed to a configuration-dependent contribution to the damping from spin pumping effects. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3638055]