Anomalous Hall Effect–Like Behavior with In‐Plane Magnetic Field in Noncollinear Antiferromagnetic Mn₃Sn Films

Abstract

Abstract Magnetotransport is at the center of spintronics. Mn 3 Sn single crystals, an antiferromagnet that has a noncollinear 120° spin order, exhibit large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) at room temperature. But such a behavior has remained elusive in epitaxial Mn 3 Sn films. Here the observation of AHE‐like behavior with in‐plane magnetic field up to room temperature in quasi‐epitaxial Mn 3 Sn thin films, prepared by magnetron sputtering, is reported. The growth of both (1120)‐ and (0001)‐oriented Mn 3 Sn films provides a unique opportunity for comparing AHE‐like behavior in three different measurement configurations. When the magnetic field is swept along (0001) plane, such as the direction of [0110] and [2110], the films show comparatively higher Hall conductivity than its perpendicular counterpart [0001], irrespective of their respectively orthogonal current along [0001] or [0110]. A quite weak ferromagnetic moment of ≈3 emu cm −3 is obtained in (1120)‐oriented Mn 3 Sn films, guaranteeing the switching of the Hall signals with magnetization reversal. This finding would advance the integration of Mn 3 Sn in antiferromagnetic spintronics.