Static magnetic proximity effects and spin Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/Y3Fe5O12 and inverted Y3Fe5O12/Pt bilayers

In spintronics and spin caloritronics, the understanding of spin angular momentum transfer across heavy metal/ferromagnetic insulator interfaces is of fundamental importance. There has been much controversy about the presence of magnetic proximity effects at such interfaces. Using element-selective x-ray and angle-resolved magnetotransport measurements, the authors present here a systematic study of Pt/Y${}₃$Fe${}₅$O${}₁₂$ heterostructures, with different order of the layer stacking resulting in different interface properties. They demonstrate that combined temperature-dependent x-ray and magnetotransport studies are essential to unambiguously confirm or exclude the presence of magnetic proximity effects.