Spin pumping and Gilbert damping in atomically flat nanometric thick YIG\textbar NM system*

Epitaxial nanometric thick ytrrium iron garnet (YIG) films grown on (111) and (110) gadolliun gallium garnet (GGG) substrates via PLD exhibit an atomically flat surface. This extremely flat surface with a roughness $\sim$ 0.1 {\AA} offers a more controlled study of the physical mechanism behind the newly observed damping in YIG\textbar NM bilayer systems. Our bilayer systems consist of a 30 nm thick YIG film, either (111) or (110), and a non-magnetic layer, either beta-phase Ta or Pd, with thickness ranging from 0 to 20 nm. We have performed ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) experiments and observed systematic thickness dependence of the FMR linewidth. As the thickness of NM increases, the FMR linewidth increases rapidly and then slowly approaches saturation. The effect of the YIG surface on the Gilbert damping due to the magnetic proximity effect and on spin pumping in such bilayer systems will be discussed.