- Letter
Altermagnetic variants in thin films of
Phys. Rev. B 110, L220411 – Published 23 December, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.110.L220411
Abstract
The altermagnet candidate has attracted wide attention in the context of nonrelativistic spin physics, due to its composition of light elements. In this study, we demonstrate a hallmark of altermagnetism in thin films, namely the three options, or variants, for the checkerboard distribution of the magnetic Mn atoms. The magnetic symmetries were altered by field-rotation of the Néel vector along relevant crystal directions, resulting in anomalous Hall effect anisotropy. The experimental results in nanoscale devices were corroborated by a theoretical model involving atomic site dependent anisotropy and bulk Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction for a single variant. These findings elevate from a candidate to a proven altermagnet.