Hanle-Induced Magnetoresistance in Pt thin films

Saül Vélez, Vitaly N. Golovach, Miren Isasa, Amilcar Bedoya-Pinto, Edurne Sagasta, Luca Pietrobon, Luis E. Hueso, F. Sebastian Bergeret, Fèlix Casanova

Published 2015-02-16Version 1

We experimentally report a new type of magnetoresistance in Pt thin films. The electrical resistance in a material with large spin-orbit coupling increases due to the interaction of the spin currents generated by the spin Hall effects with the applied magnetic field via the Hanle effect. This new type of magnetoresistance, predicted by Dyakonov, depends on the magnitude of the applied magnetic field. Although it is closely related to the recently discovered spin Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/Y3Fe5O12 bilayers, the presence of a ferromagnetic insulator is not required. Our results provide an alternative, simple way to quantitatively study the coupling between charge and spin currents in metals with strong spin-orbit coupling.