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Exchange spin-wave propagation in gallium-substituted yttrium iron garnet nanowaveguides

Andrey A. Voronov1,2,*, Khrystyna O. Levchenko1, Roman Verba3, Kristýna Davídková1,2, Carsten Dubs4, Michal Urbánek5, Qi Wang6, Dieter Suess1, Claas Abert1 et al.

Andrii V. Chumak1

  • *Contact author: andrey.voronov@univie.ac.at
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Phys. Rev. Applied 26, 014103 – Published 30 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/w648-z6zq

Abstract

Spin-wave-based computing has emerged as a promising approach to overcome the fundamental limitations of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technologies. However, the increasing demand for device miniaturization down to a 100 nm scale presents significant challenges for long-distance spin-wave transport. Gallium-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Ga:YIG) offers a potential solution to these challenges due to its unique magnetic properties. The reduced saturation magnetization in Ga:YIG enables efficient excitation of exchange-dominated spin waves, which exhibit enhanced transport characteristics compared with dipolar-dominated modes in conventional materials. Here, we present the first comprehensive study combining experimental, analytical, and numerical investigations of spin-wave propagation in Ga:YIG waveguides down to 145 nm width and 73 nm thickness. Using microfocused Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy, TetraX simulations, and analytical dispersion calculations, we demonstrate that Ga:YIG waveguides support spin waves with significantly higher group velocities up to 600  m/s. This value remains constant for structures with different widths, leading to longer spin-wave propagation lengths in nanowaveguides compared with nonsubstituted YIG. These results reveal that gallium substitution provides access to faster and longer-lived spin waves, opening significant possibilities for implementing this material in nanoscale magnonic devices.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 26, 014103– Published 30 July, 2026
  • Received 9 September 2025
  • Revised 5 March 2026
  • Accepted 12 June 2026
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