Phase detection of spin waves in yttrium iron garnet and metal induced nonreciprocity

We report experiments which characterize spin wave propagation in a thin (111) yttrium iron garnet film for arbitrary angles between the in-plane magnetic field and the mode wavevectors. By measuring the magnetic field evolution of the phase of the wave traveling across the film, we deduce the frequency dependence of the wavevector, the dispersion relation, from which the mode velocity follows. Additionally, we observe multiple nodes in the regime of the propagating Damon-Eshbach mode; these arise from avoided crossings associated with the higher, exchange split, standing wave modes along the film normal, the positions of which correlate with the direct absorption measurements of their positions. This information allows a determination of the exchange parameter. Using this technique, we examine the nonreciprocity in spin wave propagation that results from an adjacent metal layer.