Unconventional magnetism in spin-orbit coupled systems
Phys. Rev. B 113, 014426 – Published 20 January, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dy2j-mc2t
Abstract
“Unconventional magnetism” was proposed to describe the exotic states arising from Landau-Pomeranchuk instabilities in the spin channel nearly two decades ago. Its odd-partial-wave-channel (e.g., -wave) states break parity giving rise to the dynamic generation of spin-orbit coupling, while its even-partial-wave-channel (e.g., -wave) states break time-reversal symmetry. Both types of states can exhibit collinear and noncollinear spin configurations over Fermi surfaces with the former and latter termed as the and phases, respectively. The collinear states in even partial-wave channels are in the same symmetry class of “altermagnetism”. In this work, we investigate unconventional magnetism in both - and -wave channels within spin-orbit coupled systems with parity and time-reversal symmetries maintained. Based on the Ginzburg-Landau free energy analysis, the -wave channel yields the gyrotropic, Rashba, Dresselhaus-type spin-orbit couplings. They compete and mix evolving from the phase to the phase with various types of spin-momentum lockings. Analyses are performed in parallel for the -wave unconventional magnetism. We emphasize that the single-particle dispersion is not sufficient to justify the spin-group type symmetry of the full Hamiltonian. Furthermore, Goldstone manifolds and excitations are examined in each unconventional magnetic phase.