Abstract

A spin current is usually detected by converting it into a charge current through the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) in thin layers of a nonmagnetic metal with large spin-orbit coupling, such as Pt, Pd, and Ta. Here we demonstrate that Ir20Mn80, a high-temperature antiferromagnetic metal that is commonly employed in spin-valve devices, exhibits a large inverse spin Hall effect, as recently predicted theoretically. We present results of experiments in which the spin currents are generated either by microwave spin pumping or by the spin Seebeck effect in bilayers of singe-crystal yttrium iron garnet (YIG)/Ir20Mn80 and compare them with measurements in YIG/Pt bilayers. The results of both measurements are consistent, showing that Ir20Mn80 has a spin Hall angle similar to Pt, and that it is an efficient spin-current detector.