Topological magnetotransport and electrical switching of sputtered antiferromagnetic Ir20Mn80

Topological magnetotransport in non-collinear antiferromagnets has attracted extensive attention due to the exotic phenomena such as large anomalous Hall effect (AHE), magnetic spin Hall effect, and chiral anomaly. The materials exhibiting topological antiferromagnetic physics are typically limited in special Mn-3 X family such as Mn3Sn and Mn3Ge. Exploring the topological magnetotransport in common antiferromagnetic materials widely used in spintronics will not only enrich the platforms for investigating the non-collinear antiferromagnetic physics, but also have great importance for driving the nontrivial topological properties towards practical applications. Here, we report remarkable AHE, anisotropic and negative parallel magnetoresistance in the magnetron-sputtered Ir20Mn80 antiferromagnet, which is one of the most widely used antiferromagnetic materials in industrial spintronics. The ab initio calculations suggest that the Ir4Mn16 (IrMn4) or Mn3Ir nanocrystals hold nontrivial electronic band structures, which may contribute to the observed intriguing magnetotransport properties in the Ir20Mn80. Further, we demonstrate the spin-orbit torque switching of the antiferromagnetic Ir20Mn80 by the spin Hall current of Pt. The presented results highlight a great potential of the magnetron-sputtered Ir20Mn80 film for exploring the topological antiferromagnet-based physics and spintronics applications.

Automated summary

Topological magnetotransport in non-collinear antiferromagnets has sparked interest due to exotic phenomena. This study investigates the magnetotransport properties of the widely used antiferromagnetic material Ir20Mn80. Remarkable anomalous Hall effect, anisotropic and negative magnetoresistance were observed, along with nontrivial electronic band structures. These findings highlight the potential of Ir20Mn80 for exploring topological antiferromagnetic physics and spintronics applications.