Role of orbital hybridization in anisotropic magnetoresistance

Abstract

We theoretically and numerically show that longitudinal orbital currents in ferromagnets depend on the magnetization direction, which contribute to the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR). This orbital contribution to AMR arises from the momentum-dependent orbital splitting, which is generally present in multiorbital systems through the orbital anisotropy and the orbital hybridization. We highlight the latter orbital hybridization as an unrecognized origin of AMR and also as a common origin of AMR and orbital Hall effect.