Altermagnetic multiferroics and altermagnetoelectric effect

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Šmejkal, Libor
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Šmejkal, Libor
author_facet Šmejkal, Libor
contents Magnetoelectric multiferroics are highly sought after for applications in low-power electronics and for advancing fundamental research, including axion insulators and dark matter detection. However, achieving a combination of ferroic spin and electric orders, along with their controllable switching, remains a significant challenge in conventional ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Here, we present first-principles evidence that time-reversal symmetry-breaking altermagnetic spin polarization with relatively high critical temperatures can emerge in ferroelectrics BaCuF$_4$ (T$_N$ $\sim$ 275K) and Ca$_3$Mn$_2$O$_7$ (T$_N$ $\sim$ 110K). Furthermore, we classify all possible altermagnetic polar spin groups, revealing altermagnetism in a collinear phase of BiFeO$_3$. We also propose an altermagnetoelectric effect, a nonrelativistic cross-coupling between altermagnetic spin polarization and ferroelectric polarization, mediated by a rotation of nonmagnetic polyhedra in the lattice structure. Our findings suggest an alternative pathway towards high-temperature magnetoelectric multiferroicity and the electric field control of altermagnetic order parameters.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_19928
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Altermagnetic multiferroics and altermagnetoelectric effect
Šmejkal, Libor
Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Magnetoelectric multiferroics are highly sought after for applications in low-power electronics and for advancing fundamental research, including axion insulators and dark matter detection. However, achieving a combination of ferroic spin and electric orders, along with their controllable switching, remains a significant challenge in conventional ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Here, we present first-principles evidence that time-reversal symmetry-breaking altermagnetic spin polarization with relatively high critical temperatures can emerge in ferroelectrics BaCuF$_4$ (T$_N$ $\sim$ 275K) and Ca$_3$Mn$_2$O$_7$ (T$_N$ $\sim$ 110K). Furthermore, we classify all possible altermagnetic polar spin groups, revealing altermagnetism in a collinear phase of BiFeO$_3$. We also propose an altermagnetoelectric effect, a nonrelativistic cross-coupling between altermagnetic spin polarization and ferroelectric polarization, mediated by a rotation of nonmagnetic polyhedra in the lattice structure. Our findings suggest an alternative pathway towards high-temperature magnetoelectric multiferroicity and the electric field control of altermagnetic order parameters.
title Altermagnetic multiferroics and altermagnetoelectric effect
topic Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.19928