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Efficient spin-wave excitation by surface acoustic waves in ultralow-damping yttrium iron garnet–zinc oxide heterostructures

Yannik Kunz1,*, Julian Schüler1, Finlay Ryburn2, Kevin Künstle1, Michael Schneider1, Katharina Lasinger1,2, Yangzhan Zhang2, Philipp Pirro1, John Gregg2 et al.

Mathias Weiler1

  • *Contact author: ykunz@rptu.de
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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 014043 – Published 23 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/97kd-ysh6

Abstract

We demonstrate the efficient excitation of spin waves in the ultralow magnetic damping material yttrium iron garnet (YIG) by surface acoustic waves (SAWs). To this end, we use interdigital transducers fabricated on a piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film covering the YIG. This enables the excitation of coherent, propagating Rayleigh-type and Sezawa-type SAWs. We find that the ultralow magnetic damping of YIG is retained after the ZnO deposition and we perform a comprehensive investigation of the magnetoelastic interaction due to the different SAW modes as a function of the external magnetic field magnitude and orientation. By measuring the SAW attenuation, our experiments reveal a highly anisotropic and nonreciprocal SAW–spin-wave interaction in agreement with our model calculation, while demonstrating that low-damping magnons can be efficiently excited by SAWs.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 014043– Published 23 July, 2025
  • Received 14 March 2025
  • Revised 28 May 2025
  • Accepted 5 June 2025
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