Effect of IrMn inserted layer on anomalous-Hall resistance and spin-Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/IrMn/YIG heterostructures

Abstract

We report an investigation of anomalous-Hall resistance (AHR) and spin-Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in Pt/Ir20Mn80/Y3Fe5O12 (Pt/IrMn/YIG) heterostructures. The AHR of Pt/IrMn/YIG heterostructures with an antiferromagnetic inserted layer is dramatically enhanced as compared to that of the Pt/YIG bilayer. The temperature dependent AHR behavior is nontrivial, while the IrMn thickness dependent AHR displays a peak at an IrMn thickness of 3 nm. The observed SMR in the temperature range of 10–300 K indicates that the spin current generated in the Pt layer can penetrate the IrMn layer (≤3 nm) to interact with the ferromagnetic YIG layer. The lack of conventional anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) implies that the insertion of the IrMn layer between Pt and YIG could efficiently suppress the magnetic proximity effect (MPE) on induced Pt moments by YIG.