Concurrent magneto-optical imaging and magneto-transport readout of electrical switching of insulating antiferromagnetic thin films
Abstract
We demonstrate stable and reversible current induced switching of large-area (>100 μm2) antiferromagnetic domains in NiO/Pt by performing concurrent transport and magneto-optical imaging measurements in an adapted Kerr microscope. By correlating the magnetic images of the antiferromagnetic domain changes and magneto-transport signal response in these current-induced switching experiments, we disentangle magnetic and non-magnetic contributions to the transport signal. Our table-top approach establishes a robust procedure to subtract the non-magnetic contributions in the transport signal and extract the spin-Hall magnetoresistance response associated with the switching of the antiferromagnetic domains, enabling one to deduce details of the antiferromagnetic switching from simple transport measurements.
- Publication:
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Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1063/5.0011852
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2004.13374
- Bibcode:
- 2020ApPhL.117h2401S
- Keywords:
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- Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
- E-Print:
- 12+2 pages, 3+2 figures, V2: Corrected equation for R_transv calculation, results unaffected