2025/10/12 by Matsuki, Hisakazu, Yang, Guang, Xu, Jiahui +9
#FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2510.10595
A change in a materials electrical resistance with magnetic field (magnetoresistance) results from quantum interference effects and, or spin-dependent transport, depending on materials properties and dimensionality. In disordered conductors, electron interference leads to weak localization or anti-localization; in contrast, ferromagnetic conductors support spin-dependent scattering, leading to giant magnetoresistance (GMR). By varying the thickness of Au between 4 and 28 nm in a EuS/Au/EuS spin-switches, we observe a crossover from weak anti-localization to interfacial GMR. The crossover is related to a magnetic proximity effect in Au due to electron scattering at the insulating EuS interface. The proximity-induced exchange field in Au suppresses weak anti-localization, consistent with Maekawa-Fukuyama theory. With increasing Au thickness, GMR emerges along with spin Hall magnetoresistance. These findings demonstrate spin transport governed by interfacial exchange fields, building a framework for spintronic functionality without metallic magnetism.