Spin-Canting Mediated Anomalous Nernst Effect in Ferrimagnetic CoTb Films

Abstract The anomalous Nernst effect (ANE), which enables energy conversion and harvesting in ferromagnetic materials through orthogonal charge generation relative to the heat gradient and magnetization, holds great promise for spintronic thermoelectric applications. However, achieving both perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and an out-of-plane thermal gradient—two essential prerequisites for highly stable and efficient spintronic devices—contradicts the orthogonality condition required for ANE generation. In this study, we leverage the novel spin-canting effect in ferrimagnetic CoTb films to realize a pronounced ANE response near the magnetic compensation temperature, yielding a remarkable ANE coefficient of 0.108 μV/K. By further investigating the angular characteristics of the spin-canted state, we optimize and identify the ideal measurement scheme for spin-canting-mediated ANE. Our findings systematically elucidate the unique physical behavior of this unconventional ANE and demonstrate the potential of ferrimagnetic systems with strong PMA for developing high-performance thermoelectric devices.