Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Nanoscale imaging and control of altermagnetism in MnTe

Amin, O. J. ; Dal Din, A. ; Golias, E. LU orcid ; Niu, Y. LU ; Zakharov, A. LU ; Fromage, S. C. ; Fields, C. J.B. ; Heywood, S. L. ; Cousins, R. B. and Maccherozzi, F. , et al. (2024) In Nature 636(8042). p.348-353
Abstract

Nanoscale detection and control of the magnetic order underpins a spectrum of condensed-matter research and device functionalities involving magnetism. The key principle involved is the breaking of time-reversal symmetry, which in ferromagnets is generated by an internal magnetization. However, the presence of a net magnetization limits device scalability and compatibility with phases, such as superconductors and topological insulators. Recently, altermagnetism has been proposed as a solution to these restrictions, as it shares the enabling time-reversal-symmetry-breaking characteristic of ferromagnetism, combined with the antiferromagnetic-like vanishing net magnetization1, 2, 3–4. So far, altermagnetic ordering has been... (More)

Nanoscale detection and control of the magnetic order underpins a spectrum of condensed-matter research and device functionalities involving magnetism. The key principle involved is the breaking of time-reversal symmetry, which in ferromagnets is generated by an internal magnetization. However, the presence of a net magnetization limits device scalability and compatibility with phases, such as superconductors and topological insulators. Recently, altermagnetism has been proposed as a solution to these restrictions, as it shares the enabling time-reversal-symmetry-breaking characteristic of ferromagnetism, combined with the antiferromagnetic-like vanishing net magnetization1, 2, 3–4. So far, altermagnetic ordering has been inferred from spatially averaged probes4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18–19. Here we demonstrate nanoscale imaging of altermagnetic states from 100-nanometre-scale vortices and domain walls to 10-micrometre-scale single-domain states in manganese telluride (MnTe)2,7,9,14, 15–16,18,20,21. We combine the time-reversal-symmetry-breaking sensitivity of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism12 with magnetic linear dichroism and photoemission electron microscopy to achieve maps of the local altermagnetic ordering vector. A variety of spin configurations are imposed using microstructure patterning and thermal cycling in magnetic fields. The demonstrated detection and controlled formation of altermagnetic spin configurations paves the way for future experimental studies across the theoretically predicted research landscape of altermagnetism, including unconventional spin-polarization phenomena, the interplay of altermagnetism with superconducting and topological phases, and highly scalable digital and neuromorphic spintronic devices3,14,22, 23–24.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature
volume
636
issue
8042
article number
4961
pages
6 pages
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85211587868
  • pmid:39663495
ISSN
0028-0836
DOI
10.1038/s41586-024-08234-x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7db16c21-3a0c-42bd-a17f-8b2450471bb5
date added to LUP
2025-01-17 13:42:24
date last changed
2025-07-05 17:11:36
@article{7db16c21-3a0c-42bd-a17f-8b2450471bb5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Nanoscale detection and control of the magnetic order underpins a spectrum of condensed-matter research and device functionalities involving magnetism. The key principle involved is the breaking of time-reversal symmetry, which in ferromagnets is generated by an internal magnetization. However, the presence of a net magnetization limits device scalability and compatibility with phases, such as superconductors and topological insulators. Recently, altermagnetism has been proposed as a solution to these restrictions, as it shares the enabling time-reversal-symmetry-breaking characteristic of ferromagnetism, combined with the antiferromagnetic-like vanishing net magnetization<sup>1, 2, 3–4</sup>. So far, altermagnetic ordering has been inferred from spatially averaged probes<sup>4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18–19</sup>. Here we demonstrate nanoscale imaging of altermagnetic states from 100-nanometre-scale vortices and domain walls to 10-micrometre-scale single-domain states in manganese telluride (MnTe)<sup>2,7,9,14, 15–16,18,20,21</sup>. We combine the time-reversal-symmetry-breaking sensitivity of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism<sup>12</sup> with magnetic linear dichroism and photoemission electron microscopy to achieve maps of the local altermagnetic ordering vector. A variety of spin configurations are imposed using microstructure patterning and thermal cycling in magnetic fields. The demonstrated detection and controlled formation of altermagnetic spin configurations paves the way for future experimental studies across the theoretically predicted research landscape of altermagnetism, including unconventional spin-polarization phenomena, the interplay of altermagnetism with superconducting and topological phases, and highly scalable digital and neuromorphic spintronic devices<sup>3,14,22, 23–24</sup>.</p>}},
  author       = {{Amin, O. J. and Dal Din, A. and Golias, E. and Niu, Y. and Zakharov, A. and Fromage, S. C. and Fields, C. J.B. and Heywood, S. L. and Cousins, R. B. and Maccherozzi, F. and Krempaský, J. and Dil, J. H. and Kriegner, D. and Kiraly, B. and Campion, R. P. and Rushforth, A. W. and Edmonds, K. W. and Dhesi, S. S. and Šmejkal, L. and Jungwirth, T. and Wadley, P.}},
  issn         = {{0028-0836}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8042}},
  pages        = {{348--353}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature}},
  title        = {{Nanoscale imaging and control of altermagnetism in MnTe}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08234-x}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41586-024-08234-x}},
  volume       = {{636}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}