Signature of geometry modulation on interface magnetism emerged in isomeric IrO2-CoFe2O4 heterostructures

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the crystal stacking geometry at interfaces in IrO2-CoFe2O4 heterostructures significantly influences magnetic interactions, leading to different magnetic phenomena such as topological-like anomalous Hall effects.

Contribution

It reveals how geometry modulation at interfaces can control magnetic interactions and emergent phenomena in heterostructures, a previously underexplored aspect.

Findings

Rutile interface shows conventional anomalous Hall effect due to MPE.

Anatase interface exhibits topological-like AHE at zero-field.

Geometry modulation enhances Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction effects.

Abstract

The interface composed of magnets and strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) materials forms an important platform for spintronic devices and intriguing magnetic phenomena, such as the chiral spin textures and magnetic proximity effect (MPE). The interface exchange interaction and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) have been discussed in a wide range of heterostructures, while the crystal stacking geometry modulation on these interface interactions has rarely been considered. Here, we show a pronounced geometry modulation on the interface magnetism through comparing a rutile and an anatase IrO2 capping on a ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4. The rutile heterostructure with a high-symmetry interface shows a conventional anomalous Hall effect (AHE) profile due to the MPE. In contrast, the anatase one with a low-symmetry interface exhibits a topological-like AHE even at zero-field, suggesting the emergence of non-coplanar magnetic order at the interface. Our results suggest that the influence of DMI at the interface can be more accentuated by forming a low-symmetry interface and raises a new means of designing interface magnetism via the geometry modulation.