Weakly coupled motion of individual layers in ferromagnetic resonance

We demonstrate a layer- and time-resolved measurement of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in a Ni₈₁Fe₁₉∕Cu∕Co₉₃Zr₇ trilayer structure. Time-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism has been developed in transmission, with resonant field excitation at a FMR frequency of 2.3 GHz. Small-angle (to 0.2°), time-domain magnetization precession could be observed directly, and resolved to individual layers through elemental contrast at Ni, Fe, and Co edges. The phase sensitivity allowed direct measurement of relative phase lags in the precessional oscillations of individual elements and layers. A weak ferromagnetic coupling, difficult to ascertain in conventional FMR measurements, is revealed in the phase and amplitude response of individual layers across resonance.