Resonant and Off-Resonant Magnetoacoustic Waves in Epitaxial Fe₃Si/GaAs Hybrid Structures

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) provide an efficient dynamical coupling between strain and magnetization in micro-and nanometric systems. Using a hybrid device composed of a piezoelectric, GaAs, and a ferromagnetic Heusler alloy thin film, Fe3Si, we are able to quantify the amplitude of magnetoacoustic waves generated with SAWs via magnetic imaging in an x-ray photoelectron microscope. The cubic anisotropy of the sample, together with a low damping coefficient, allows for the observation of reso-nant and nonresonant magnetoelastic coupling. Additionally, via micromagnetic simulation, we verify the experimental behavior and quantify the magnetoelastic shear strain component in Fe3Si, which appears to be large (b(2) = 10 +/- 4 MJm(-3)).