The effect of graphene interlayer at Pt/YIG interface on spin pumping

Spin pumping and the spin transfer torque in the normal metal (NM)/ferromagnetic materials (FM) heterostructure strongly depend on the interfacial spin memory loss. Therefore, the interface engineering of the NM/FM bilayer is important for enhancing spin pumping and spin-orbit torque efficiency for spin-orbitronic devices. In this study, we investigate the influence of the graphene interlayer between Pt and yttrium iron garnet (YIG) on spin pumping. Measurements of both the coplanar wave guide ferromagnetic resonance and inverse spin Hall effect with ferromagnetic resonance are performed to study the role of graphene in the transmission of the spin current at the interface. Results indicate a decreased Gilbert damping constant with the insertion of graphene interlayer, which causes the spin mixing conductance and inverse spin Hall voltage to be significantly reduced. The observed decrease in damping constant and spin injection is attributed to the presence of magnetic proximity effect and interfacial spin-orbit scattering, which causes graphene to serve as a spin-sink layer. [Display omitted] •Introduction of graphene interlayer between Pt and yttrium iron garnet (YIG) heterostructures.•Investigation of interface engineering by ferromagnetic resonance and inverse spin Hall voltage measurements.•Reduction of spin mixing conductance and the inverse spin Hall voltage by the insertion of a graphene layer.•Graphene at the interface of Pt/YIG behaves as a spin-sink layer.