  Understanding and tailoring static and dynamic properties of magnetic
insulator thin films is important for spintronic device applications. Here, we
grow atomically flat epitaxial europium iron garnet (EuIG) thin films by pulsed
laser deposition on (111)-oriented garnet substrates with a range of lattice
parameters. By controlling the lattice mismatch between EuIG and the
substrates, we tune the strain in EuIG films from compressive to tensile
regime, which is characterized by X-ray diffraction. Using ferromagnetic
resonance, we find that in addition to the first-order perpendicular magnetic
anisotropy which depends linearly on the strain, there is a significant
second-order one that has a quadratic strain dependence. Inhomogeneous
linewidth of the ferromagnetic resonance increases notably with increasing
strain, while the Gilbert damping parameter remains nearly constant (~
2x10^-2). These results provide valuable insight into the spin dynamics in
ferrimagnetic insulators and useful guidance for material synthesis and
engineering of next-generation spintronics applications.

Materials Science