Extraordinary anisotropic magnetoresistance in CaMnO3/CaIrO3 heterostructures

The realization of fourfold anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) in 3d-5d heterostructures has boosted major efforts in antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics. However, despite the potential of incorporating strong spinorbit coupling, only small AMR signals have been detected thus far, prompting a search for mechanisms to enhance the signal. In this paper, we demonstrate an extraordinarily elevated fourfold AMR of 70% realized in CaMnO3/CaIrO3 thin film superlattices. We find that the biaxial magnetic anisotropy and the spin-flop transition in a nearly Mott insulating phase form a potent combination, each contributing one order of magnitude to the total signal. Dynamics between these phenomena capture a subtle interaction of pseudospin coupling with the lattice and external magnetic field, an emergent phenomenon creating opportunities to harness its potential in AFM spintronics.