Investigating magnetic proximity effects at ferrite/Pt interfaces

Abstract

Spintronic devices based on pure spin currents have drawn a lot of attention during the last few years for low energy device design. One approach to generate pure spin currents is to combine a metallic or insulating ferromagnetic layer with a non-magnetic metallic layer with a large spin-orbit coupling. A recent controversy has arisen in the possible role of magnetic proximity effects at ferromagnetic/non-magnetic interfaces, which can hamper the understanding of pure spin current generation mechanisms. While magnetic proximity effects have been frequently observed at ferromagnetic metal/non-magnetic interfaces, there are only a few studies on ferromagnetic insulator/non-magnetic interfaces. Regarding the use of ferromagnetic insulators, the focus has been mainly on yttrium iron garnet (YIG). However, investigation of induced magnetic moments at YIG/Pt interfaces has engendered contradictory results. Here, we propose to study insulating ferrites for which electronic and magnetic properties can be modulated. Magnetic proximity effects have been investigated at MnFe2O4/Pt, CoFe2O4/Pt, and NiFe2O4/Pt interfaces by X-ray circular magnetic dichroism (XMCD) measurements at the Pt L3 edge. Although hybridization with Pt seems to be different among the ferrites, we do not detect any XMCD signal as the signature of an induced magnetism in Pt. We have then studied the Fe3O4 ferrite below and above the Verwey transition temperature. No XMCD signal has been measured in the insulating or conducting phase of Fe3O4. This suggests that the absence of magnetic proximity effects at ferrite/Pt interfaces is not linked to the insulating character or not of the ferrites.