Magnetic properties and domain structure of ultrathin yttrium iron garnet/Pt bilayers

Abstract

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG)/Pt bilayers allow for the interconversion of charge, heat, and magnon currents in spintronic and magnonic devices. As the interconversion process takes place at the interface between YIG and Pt, the efficient utilization of such effects requires ultrathin YIG thicknesses. This paper reports a systematic investigation of the crystal and interface structure, magnetization, magnetic anisotropy as well as magnetic domain morphology of YIG films with thickness ranging from 3 to 90 nm. The magnetic properties of YIG are shown to depend critically on thickness.