Concurrent magneto-optical imaging and magneto-transport readout of electrical switching of insulating antiferromagnetic thin films

Schreiber, F.*; Baldrati, L.*; Schmitt, C.*; Ramos, R.*; 齊藤 英治; Lebrun, R.*; Klui, M.*

Applied Physics Letters, 117(8), p.082401_1 - 082401_5, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0011852

We demonstrate stable and reversible current induced switching of large-area (100 m) antiferromagnetic domains in NiO/Pt by performing concurrent transport and magneto-optical imaging measurements in an adapted Kerr microscope. By correlating the magnetic images of the antiferromagnetic domain changes and magneto-transport signal response in these current-induced switching experiments, we disentangle magnetic and non-magnetic contributions to the transport signal. Our table-top approach establishes a robust procedure to subtract the non-magnetic contributions in the transport signal and extract the spin-Hall magnetoresistance response associated with the switching of the antiferromagnetic domains, enabling one to deduce details of the antiferromagnetic switching from simple transport measurements.