Anomalous Hall effect in spatially inhomogeneous SrRuO3 films

The Topological Hall Effect (THE) has been considered a hallmark of magnetic skyrmions in SrRuO3 single films and heterostructures. Alternative interpretations suggest that the THE-like anomalies could also originate from multi-channel anomalous Hall effects (AHEs) induced by structural inhomogeneity. Here, we reveal another type of THE-like anomaly in SrRuO3 films that was rarely reported previously. By scanning minor loops of the Hall resistivity of ultrathin SrRuO3 films, we demonstrate that the increased saturation resistivity and reversed polarity with decreasing a scanning field cannot be explained by THE, while it shows consistence with spatially inhomogeneous AHE. Our research provides a simple but effective way to quantitatively distinguish between THE and inhomogeneous AHE in those magnetic systems even beyond SrRuO3.