Field-Symmetry-Engineered Magnetotransport in Magnetic NiO/Co/Pt Heterostructures

Our study demonstrates bidirectional and reversible electrical conversion between asymmetric and symmetric magnetoresistance in NiO/Co/Pt heterostructures via magnetic field-symmetry engineering. We show that field symmetry directly dictates the emergent magnetoresistance symmetry, enabling programmable room-temperature switching among asymmetric, forward-symmetric, and reverse-symmetric configurations. This reconfigurability originates from a polarity-selective, half-field mirror inversion of resistance spikes under symmetry breaking, governed by the field-dependent reconfiguration of the rotation sequence between interfacial and bulk cobalt magnetic moments. The work establishes a novel approach to directly tailor magnetoresistance by manipulating field symmetry without altering the underlying spin transport physics, providing a prototypical platform for field-programmable spintronic devices.