In this work, the investigation of magnetic proximity effect was extended to Ta which has been reported to have a negative spin Hall angle. Magnetoresistance and Hall measurements for in-plane and out-of-plane applied magnetic field sweeps were carri
ed out at room temperature. The size of the MR ratio observed (~10-5) and its magnetization direction dependence are similar to that reported in Pt/YIG, both of which can be explained by the spin Hall magnetoresistance theory. Additionally, a flip of magnetoresistance polarity is observed at 4 K in the temperature dependent measurements, which can be explained by the magnetic proximity effect induced anisotropic magnetoresistance at low temperature. Our findings suggest that both magnetic proximity effect and spin Hall magnetoresistance have contribution to the recently observed unconventional magnetoresistance effect.
