Observation of spin-orbit magnetoresistance in metallic thin films on magnetic insulators

Abstract

A magnetoresistance effect induced by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction was predicted, but not yet observed, in bilayers consisting of normal metal and ferromagnetic insulator. Here, we present an experimental observation of this new type of spin-orbit magnetoresistance (SOMR) effect in a bilayer structure Cu[Pt]/Y3Fe5O12 (YIG), where the Cu/YIG interface is decorated with nanosize Pt islands. This new MR is apparently not caused by the bulk spin-orbit interaction because of the negligible spin-orbit interaction in Cu and the discontinuity of the Pt islands. This SOMR disappears when the Pt islands are absent or located away from the Cu/YIG interface, therefore we can unambiguously ascribe it to the Rashba spin-orbit interaction at the interface enhanced by the Pt decoration. The numerical Boltzmann simulations are consistent with the experimental SOMR results in the angular dependence of magnetic field and the Cu thickness dependence. Our finding demonstrates the realization of the spin manipulation by interface engineering.

arXiv comment12 pages, 4 figures, 14 pages in supplementary. To appear on Science Advances

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• Tunable pure spin supercurrents and the demonstration of a superconducting spin-wave device
• Experimental evidence of spin-orbit torque from metallic interfaces
• Spin-charge conversion in NiMnSb Heusler alloy films
• Spin-phonon interactions and magnetoelectric coupling in Co${}_4$$B_2$O${}_9$ ($B$ = Nb, Ta)
• Absence of Spin Hall Magnetoresistance in Pt/(CoNi)n multilayers
• Giant interfacial spin-Hall angle from Rashba-Edelstein effect revealed by the spin-Hall Hanle processes
• Quasiclassical theory of the spin-orbit magnetoresistance of three-dimensional Rashba metals
• Microscopic theory of Rashba-Edelstein magnetoresistance