Microscopic magnetic structuring of a spin-wave waveguide by ion implantation in a Ni81Fe19 layer

Ion implantation of ferromagnetic films has proven to be a promising tool for the fabrication of fully planar samples with a microscopic magnetic substructure. A waveguide-like propagation of spin waves in a Ni81Fe19 film which was locally patterned by ion implantation could be observed. The investigations have been performed using Brillouin light scattering microscopy on samples patterned with varying ion fluences. Further investigations on the coupling behavior of two parallel stripes in this fully planar structures have been performed. The presented fabrication technique of spin-wave waveguides provides much lower stray fields and better heat conduction. Especially the latter is a matter of interest when the objects are exposed to intense microwave fields (excitation of spin waves) or investigated by laser spectroscopy like Brillouin light scattering. Financial support by the DFG (GRK 792) is gratefully acknowledged.