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Critically-enhanced nonreciprocal electronic transport at magnetic phase boundary in a room temperature helimagnet YMn6Sn6

Hidetoshi Masuda1,*, Jun-ichiro Ohe2, Yoichi Nii1,†, Shojiro Kimura1, and Yoshinori Onose1,3

  • 1Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
  • 2Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi 274-8510, Japan
  • 3Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics (CSIS), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan

  • *Contact author: hidetoshi.masuda.c8@tohoku.ac.jp
  • †Present address: Department of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan.
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033019 – Published 7 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ltwf-zhj2

Abstract

We investigated nonreciprocal electronic transport, a diode effect of electric current flow, in a helimagnet YMn6Sn6. We found that nonreciprocal resistivity, whose sign depends on the handedness of the magnetic spiral (chirality), was drastically enhanced in the vicinity of the helimagnetic transition magnetic field. This critical enhancement was observed in the wide temperature range below the helimagnetic transition temperature 335 K. We comparatively discuss three possible mechanisms of nonreciprocal electronic transport: band asymmetry, current-induced deformation of the magnetic structure, and asymmetric scattering, and suggest the most plausible mechanism is the last one.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033019– Published 7 July, 2025
  • Received 28 December 2024
  • Accepted 16 June 2025
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