scholarly journals Altermagnetism: spin-momentum locked phase protected by non-relativistic symmetries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Jungwirth ◽  
Libor Šmejkal ◽  
Jairo Sinova
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Real Space ◽  
Spin Splitting ◽  
Spin Coherence ◽  
Energy Bands ◽  
Quantum Phases ◽  
Magnetic Symmetry ◽  
Crystal Space ◽  
Inversion Asymmetry ◽  
Spin Momentum

Abstract The search for novel magnetic quantum phases, phenomena and functional materials has been guided by relativistic magnetic-symmetry groups in coupled spin and real space from the dawn of the field in 1950s to the modern era of topological matter. However, the magnetic groups cannot disentangle non-relativistic phases and effects, such as the recently reported unconventional spin physics in collinear antiferromagnets, from the typically weak relativistic spin-orbit coupling phenomena. Here we discover that more general spin symmetries in decoupled spin and crystal space categorize non-relativistic collinear magnetism in three phases: conventional ferromagnets and antiferromangets, and a third distinct phase combining zero net magnetization with an alternating spin-momentum locking in energy bands, which we dub "altermagnetic". For this third basic magnetic phase, which is omitted by the relativistic magnetic groups, we develop a spin-group theory describing six characteristic types of the altermagnetic spin-momentum locking. We demonstrate an extraordinary spin-splitting mechanism in altermagnetic bands originating from a local electric crystal field, which contrasts with the conventional magnetic or relativistic splitting by global magnetization or inversion asymmetry. Based on first-principles calculations, we identify altermagnetic candidates ranging from insulators and metals to a parent crystal of cuprate superconductor. Our results underpin emerging research of quantum phases and spintronics in high-temperature magnets with light elements, vanishing net magnetization, and strong spin-coherence.

scholarly journals Prediction of unconventional magnetism in doped FeSb2

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (42) ◽  
pp. e2108924118
Author(s):  
Igor I. Mazin ◽  
Klaus Koepernik ◽  
Michelle D. Johannes ◽  
Rafael González-Hernández ◽  
Libor Šmejkal
Keyword(s):  
Real Space ◽  
Orbit Interaction ◽  
Spin Splitting ◽  
Large Contribution ◽  
Spin Orbit ◽  
Energy Bands ◽  
Orbit Splitting ◽  
Spin Orbit Interaction ◽  
Nodal Lines ◽  
Nodal Surfaces

It is commonly believed that the energy bands of typical collinear antiferromagnets (AFs), which have zero net magnetization, are Kramers spin-degenerate. Kramers nondegeneracy is usually associated with a global time-reversal symmetry breaking (e.g., via ferromagnetism) or with a combination of spin–orbit interaction and broken spatial inversion symmetry. Recently, another type of spin splitting was demonstrated to emerge in some collinear magnets that are fully spin compensated by symmetry, nonrelativistic, and not even necessarily noncentrosymmetric. These materials feature nonzero spin density staggered in real space as seen in traditional AFs but also spin splitting in momentum space, generally seen only in ferromagnets. This results in a combination of materials characteristics typical of both ferromagnets and AFs. Here, we discuss this recently discovered class with application to a well-known semiconductor, FeSb2, and predict that with certain alloying, it becomes magnetic and metallic and features the aforementioned magnetic dualism. The calculated energy bands split antisymmetrically with respect to spin-degenerate nodal surfaces rather than nodal points, as in the case of spin–orbit splitting. The combination of a large (0.2-eV) spin splitting, compensated net magnetization with metallic ground state, and a specific magnetic easy axis generates a large anomalous Hall conductivity (∼150 S/cm) and a sizable magnetooptical Kerr effect, all deemed to be hallmarks of nonzero net magnetization. We identify a large contribution to the anomalous response originating from the spin–orbit interaction gapped anti-Kramers nodal surfaces, a mechanism distinct from the nodal lines and Weyl points in ferromagnets.

scholarly journals Spin–valley Hall phenomena driven by Van Hove singularities in blistered graphene

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Umar Farooq ◽  
Arqum Hashmi ◽  
Tomoya Ono ◽  
Li Huang
Keyword(s):  
First Principles ◽  
Opposite Sign ◽  
Spin Splitting ◽  
First Principles Calculations ◽  
Van Hove Singularities ◽  
Spin Degree ◽  
Hall Effects ◽  
Back Scattering ◽  
Structural Deformations ◽  
Spin Momentum

AbstractUsing first-principles calculations, we investigate the possibility of realizing valley Hall effects (VHE) in blistered graphene sheets. We show that the Van Hove singularities (VHS) induced by structural deformations can give rise to interesting spin–valley Hall phenomena. The broken degeneracy of spin degree of freedom results in spin-filtered VH states and the valley conductivity have a Hall plateau of ±e2/2h, while the blistered structures with time-reversal symmetry show the VHE with the opposite sign of $$\sigma _{xy}^{K/K^{\prime}}$$ σ x y K / K ′ (e2/2h) in the two valleys. Remarkably, these results show that the distinguishable chiral valley pseudospin state can occur even in the presence of VHS induced spin splitting. The robust chiral spin–momentum textures in both massless and massive Dirac cones of the blistered systems indicate significant suppression of carrier back-scattering. Our study provides a different approach to realize spin-filtered and spin-valley contrasting Hall effects in graphene-based devices without any external field.

scholarly journals Unlocking surface octahedral tilt in two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Shao ◽  
Wei Gao ◽  
Hejin Yan ◽  
Runlai Li ◽  
Ibrahim Abdelwahab ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Density Functional ◽  
Carrier Transport ◽  
Plane Surface ◽  
Structural Phase ◽  
Density Functional Theory Calculations ◽  
Spin Splitting ◽  
Scanning Tunneling ◽  
Tunneling Microscopy ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Inversion Asymmetry

AbstractMolecularly soft organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are susceptible to dynamic instabilities of the lattice called octahedral tilt, which directly impacts their carrier transport and exciton-phonon coupling. Although the structural phase transitions associated with octahedral tilt has been extensively studied in 3D hybrid halide perovskites, its impact in hybrid 2D perovskites is not well understood. Here, we used scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to directly visualize surface octahedral tilt in freshly exfoliated 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPPs) across the homologous series, whereby the steric hindrance imposed by long organic cations is unlocked by exfoliation. The experimentally determined octahedral tilts from n = 1 to n = 4 RPPs from STM images are found to agree very well with out-of-plane surface octahedral tilts predicted by density functional theory calculations. The surface-enhanced octahedral tilt is correlated to excitonic redshift observed in photoluminescence (PL), and it enhances inversion asymmetry normal to the direction of quantum well and promotes Rashba spin splitting for n > 1.

scholarly journals Nondestructive real-space imaging of energy dissipation distributions in randomly networked conductive nanomaterials

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Morimoto ◽  
Seisuke Ata ◽  
Takeo Yamada ◽  
Toshiya Okazaki
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Real Space ◽  
Network Structures ◽  
Conductive Heat ◽  
Frequency Space ◽  
Dynamical Method ◽  
Intensity Images ◽  
Lock In ◽  
Conductive Nanomaterials ◽  
Micrometer Scale

Abstract For realization the new functional materials and devices by conductive nanomaterials, how to control and realize the optimum network structures are import point for fundamental, applied and industrial science. In this manuscript, the nondestructive real-space imaging technique has been studied with the lock-in thermal scope via Joule heating caused by ac bias conditions. By this dynamical method, a few micrometer scale energy dissipations originating from local current density and resistance distributions are visualized in a few tens of minutes due to the frequency-space separation and the strong temperature damping of conductive heat components. Moreover, in the tensile test, the sample broken points were completely corresponding to the intensity images of lock-in thermography. These results indicated that the lock-in thermography is a powerful tool for inspecting the intrinsic network structures, which are difficult to observe by conventional imaging methods.

Neutrons Not Entitled to Retire at the Age of 60: More than Ever Needed to Reveal Magnetic Structures

2011 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 263-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Ritter
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Giant Magnetoresistance ◽  
High Temperature Superconductivity ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Symmetry Analysis ◽  
Magnetic Shape Memory ◽  
Magnetic Structures ◽  
Magnetic Symmetry ◽  
The Rare Earth

In 1949 Shull et al. [1] used for the first time neutrons for the determination of a magnetic structure. Ever since, the need for neutrons for the study of magnetism has increased. Two main reasons can be brought forward to explain this ongoing success: First of all a strong rise in research on functional materials (founding obliges) and secondly the increasing availability of easy to use programmes for the treatment of magnetic neutron diffraction data. The giant magnetoresistance effect, multiferroic materials, magnetoelasticity, magnetic shape memory alloys, magnetocaloric materials, high temperature superconductivity or spin polarized half metals: The last 15 years have seen the event of all these “hot topics” where the knowledge of the magnetism is a prerequisite for understanding the underlying functional mechanisms. Refinement programs like FULLPROF or GSAS and programs for magnetic symmetry analysis like BASIREPS or SARAH make the determination of magnetic structures accessible for non specialists. Following a historical overview on the use of neutron powder diffraction for the determination of magnetic structures, I will try to convince you of the easiness of using magnetic symmetry analysis for the determination of magnetic structures using some recent examples of own research on the rare earth iron borate TbFe3(BO3)4 and the rare earth transition metal telluride Ho6FeTe2.

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