Metallic ferromagnetic films with magnetic damping under 1.4 × 10−3

Low-damping magnetic materials have been widely used in microwave and spintronic applications because of their low energy loss and high sensitivity. While the Gilbert damping constant can reach 10−4 to 10−5 in some insulating ferromagnets, metallic ferromagnets generally have larger damping due to magnon scattering by conduction electrons. Meanwhile, low-damping metallic ferromagnets are desired for charge-based spintronic devices. Here, we report the growth of Co25Fe75 epitaxial films with excellent crystalline quality evident by the clear Laue oscillations and exceptionally narrow rocking curve in the X-ray diffraction scans as well as from scanning transmission electron microscopy. Remarkably, the Co25Fe75 epitaxial films exhibit a damping constant
Owing to their conductivity, low-damping metallic ferromagnets are preferred to insulating ferromagnets in charge-based spintronic devices, but are not yet well developed. Here the authors achieve low magnetic damping in CoFe epitaxial films which is comparable to conventional insulating ferromagnetic YIG films.