We make use of the strong spin-charge coupling in the electron-doped cuprate ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{2-x}{\mathrm{Ce}}_x{\mathrm{CuO}}_4$ to probe changes in its spin system via magnetotransport measurements. We present a detailed study of the out-of-plane magnetoresistance in underdoped single crystals of this compound, including the nonsuperconducting, $0.05\le x\le 0.115$, and superconducting, $0.12\le x\le 0.13$, compositions. Special focus is put on the dependence of the magnetoresistance on the field orientation in the plane of the ${\mathrm{CuO}}_2$ layers. In addition to the kink at the field-induced transition between the noncollinear and collinear antiferromagnetic configurations, a sharp irreversible feature is found in the angle-dependent magnetoresistance of all samples in the high-field regime, at field orientations around the Cu-O-Cu direction. The obtained behavior can be explained in terms of field-induced reorientation of ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$ spins within the collinear antiferromagnetic state. It is therefore considered an unambiguous indication of the long-range magnetic order.

• Received 29 November 2017
• Revised 6 February 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.054430