Effect of interface quality on spin Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/MgFe2O4 bilayers

Abstract

We report on spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in bilayers composed of Pt and magnetic insulator MgFe2O4 (MFO) with spinel structure. The Pt thickness dependence of the SMR reveals that annealing of the MFO surface before depositing the Pt layer is crucial for a large SMR with better interface quality. We also found that oxygen pressure during the MFO growth hardly affects the SMR, while it influences the magnetic property of the MFO film. Our findings provide important clues to further understanding the spin transport at interfaces containing magnetic insulators, facilitating development of low power consumption devices.