Spin rectification effect induced by planar Hall effect and its strong impact on spin-pumping measurements

Spin pumping is a technique widely used to generate pure spin current and characterize the spin-charge conversion in various systems. The reversing sign of the symmetric Lorentzian charge current with respect to the opposite magnetic field is generally accepted as the key criterion to identifying its pure spin current origin. However, we herein find that the rectified voltage due to the planar Hall effect can exhibit a similar spurious signal, complicating and even misleading the analysis. The distribution of microwave magnetic field and induction current has a strong influence on the magnetic field symmetry and line shape of the obtained signal. We further demonstrate a geometry where the spin-charge conversion and the rectified voltage can be readily distinguished with a straightforward symmetry analysis.

Automated summary

Spin pumping is a widely used technique for generating pure spin current and studying spin-charge conversion. However, the rectified voltage from the planar Hall effect can complicate the analysis and lead to misleading results.