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Evaluation of spin mixing conductance in Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5/Pt bilayer and the effect of ultrathin Cu, Ni, Ru, Ta, or Cr insertion layers

Madhav M. Bhat1,2, H. Suto2,*, T. T. Sasaki2, A. Perumal1, A. Srinivasan1,†, and Y. Sakuraba1,2,3

  • *Contact author: suto.hirofumi@nims.go.jp
  • Contact author: asrini@iitg.ac.in

Phys. Rev. Materials 10, 054414 – Published 20 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/b5xh-ypg7

Abstract

Improving the spin mixing conductance at the ferromagnet/heavy metal (FM/HM) interface with a low Gilbert damping constant in the FM layer is a key requirement for developing efficient spintronic devices. To evaluate the potential of Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5 as the FM layers in such structures, epitaxial Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5 single-layer and Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5/Pt bilayer films were deposited on MgO substrates using magnetron sputtering, and their Gilbert damping constants were evaluated from ferromagnetic resonance spectra. While the single-layer samples exhibit a low damping constant of 1.07×103, an enhancement in the damping constant was observed in the bilayer samples due to spin pumping across the Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5/Pt interface, from which relatively large spin mixing conductance (geff) of (2.78±0.09)×1019m2 was evaluated. Further, to investigate the effect of interface property on geff, ultrathin (0.2 nm) Cu, Ni, Ru, Ta, or Cr insertion layers were introduced between the Co2FeGa0.5Ge0.5 and Pt. Inserting a nonmagnetic (NM) Cu layer results in a pronounced decrease of geff, whereas the FM Ni layer leaves geff nearly unchanged. In the case of Ru and Ta insertion layers, a modest reduction in geff is observed despite their NM nature. The antiferromagnetic Cr insertion layer also causes a small decrease in geff. The observed change in geff depends on the insertion material, indicating that their physical properties, such as magnetic, nonmagnetic, antiferromagnetic, light or heavy metal, reflect on geff.

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