Electrical detection of the spin reorientation transition in antiferromagnetic TmFeO$_3$ thin films by spin Hall magnetoresistance

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the electrical detection of the spin reorientation transition in antiferromagnetic TmFeO$_3$ thin films using spin Hall magnetoresistance, enabling temperature-controlled magnetic state readout without magnetic fields.

Contribution

It introduces a method to grow TmFeO$_3$ thin films and electrically detect their spin reorientation transition via spin Hall magnetoresistance.

Findings

Successful growth of TFO thin films by pulsed laser deposition.

Electrical detection of SRT in TFO thin films using SMR.

Correlation of SMR signals with the SRT temperature range.

Abstract

TmFeO$_3$ (TFO) is a canted antiferromagnet that undergoes a spin reorientation transition (SRT) with temperature between 82 K and 94 K in single crystals. In this temperature region, the N\'eel vector continuously rotates from the crystallographic $c$-axis (below 82 K) to the $a$-axis (above 94 K). The SRT allows for a temperature control of distinct antiferromagnetic states without the need for a magnetic field, making it apt for applications working at THz frequencies. For device applications, thin films of TFO are required as well as an electrical technique for reading out the magnetic state. Here we demonstrate that orthorhombic TFO thin films can be grown by pulsed laser deposition and the detection of the SRT in TFO thin films can be accessed by making use of the all electrical spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR), in good agreement for the temperature range where the SRT occurs. Our results demonstrate that one can electrically detect the SRT in insulators.