Nonuniform current distribution induced abnormal anomalous Hall signals in van der Waals ferromagnet Fe 3 GaTe 2 with circularly distributed electrodes

Abstract The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is widely utilized as a sensitive probe for characterizing magnetotransport properties of two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets. However, conventional analyses usually assume a uniform current distribution, which can be significantly disrupted by complex electrode configurations. Here, we systematically investigate the impact of nonuniform current distribution induced by circularly distributed electrodes on the anomalous Hall signals in the vdW ferromagnet Fe 3 GaTe 2 . By combining experimental measurements with finite-element simulations, we demonstrate that the observed abnormal AHE signals primarily originate from uneven current densities rather than intrinsic magnetic inhomogeneities. Our analysis reveals that current crowding near electrode edges leads to substantially altered local electric fields and consequently anomalous voltage responses. This study highlights the necessity of carefully considering current distribution effects in interpreting transport measurements of vdW ferromagnets, providing crucial insights for accurate characterization and robust design of two-dimensional spintronic devices.