Weak-anti-localization-to-spin-dependent scattering at a proximity-magnetized heavy metal interface
Abstract
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.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2510.10595,
title = {Weak-anti-localization-to-spin-dependent scattering at a proximity-magnetized heavy metal interface},
author = {Hisakazu Matsuki and Guang Yang and Jiahui Xu and Vitaly N. Golovach and Yu He and Jiaxu Li and Alberto Hijano and Niladri Banerjee and Iuliia Alekhina and Nadia Stelmashenko and F. Sebastian Bergeret and Jason W. A. Robinson},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.10595},
year = {2025}
}