A magnetoresistance effect induced by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction was
predicted, but not yet observed, in bilayers consisting of normal metal and
ferromagnetic insulator. Here, we present an experimental observation of this
new type of spin-orbit magnetoresistance (SOMR) effect in a bilayer structure
Cu[Pt]/Y3Fe5O12 (YIG), where the Cu/YIG interface is decorated with nanosize Pt
islands. This new MR is apparently not caused by the bulk spin-orbit
interaction because of the negligible spin-orbit interaction in Cu and the
discontinuity of the Pt islands. This SOMR disappears when the Pt islands are
absent or located away from the Cu/YIG interface, therefore we can
unambiguously ascribe it to the Rashba spin-orbit interaction at the interface
enhanced by the Pt decoration. The numerical Boltzmann simulations are
consistent with the experimental SOMR results in the angular dependence of
magnetic field and the Cu thickness dependence. Our finding demonstrates the
realization of the spin manipulation by interface engineering.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, 14 pages in supplementary. To appear on Science
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