title: Interface enhancement of Gilbert damping from first principles.
abstract: The enhancement of Gilbert damping observed for Ni_{80}Fe_{20} (Py) films in contact with the nonmagnetic metals Cu, Pd, Ta, and Pt is quantitatively reproduced using first-principles scattering calculations. The "spin-pumping" theory that qualitatively explains its dependence on the Py thickness is generalized to include a number of extra factors known to be important for spin transport through interfaces. Determining the parameters in this theory from first principles shows that interface spin flipping makes an essential contribution to the damping enhancement. Without it, a much shorter spin-flip diffusion length for Pt would be needed than the value we calculate independently.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands and Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R J H
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wesselink
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Starikov
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kelly