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  • Open Access

Tuning spin currents in collinear antiferromagnets and altermagnets

Sajjan Sheoran1,2 and Pratibha Dev1,3,*

  • *Contact author: pdev@lps.umd.edu
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Phys. Rev. B 113, 174426 – Published 19 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/159t-fq4k

Abstract

Spin-current generation through nonrelativistic spin splittings, found in uncompensated magnets and d-wave altermagnets (AMs), is desirable for low-power spintronics. Such spin currents, however, are symmetry forbidden in conventional collinear antiferromagnets and higher-order AMs. Using spin-point-group analysis, we demonstrate that finite spin currents can be induced in these materials via magnetoelectric-, piezomagnetic-, and piezomagnetoelectric-like couplings. We utilize electric fields, strain, and their combinations to drive symmetry-lowering phase transitions into uncompensated magnetic or d-wave AM states, thereby enabling finite spin conductivity in a broader class of magnetic materials. We further substantiate this framework using density functional theory and Boltzmann transport calculations on representative magnetic materials—KV2Se2O, RuF4, Cr2O3, FeS2, and MnPSe3—spanning these different cases. The charge-to-spin conversion and spin-splitter ratio reaches up to almost 100% via uncompensated magnetism and about 40% via d-wave AM under realistic conditions, highlighting the effectiveness of this approach for efficient spin-current generation.

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Phys. Rev. B 113, 174426– Published 19 May, 2026
  • Received 2 December 2025
  • Accepted 7 April 2026
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