Unconventional antiferromagnets with intrinsic spin splitting enable spin-polarized transport similar to ferromagnets with zero net magnetization, offering substantial potential applications in high-density, nonvolatile spintronic devices. However, achieving efficient electric-field controlled tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) still remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we propose a general strategy based on symmetry design—constructing mirror-time reversal (${\widehat{M}}_z\widehat{T}$) symmetry—to effectively regulate antiferromagnetic TMR. Using bilayer $\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{Sb}}_2{\mathrm{Se}}_4$ as a model system, we demonstrate that van der Waals stacking breaks combined inversion and time reversal symmetry ($\widehat{P}\widehat{T}$), driving a transition from a spin-degenerate state to a spin-splitting unconventional antiferromagnetic phase with zero net magnetic moment. This system hosts two stable states with opposite interlayer electric polarizations, linked by ${\widehat{M}}_z\widehat{T}$ symmetry, which allows an external electric field to reversibly switch the spin-texture alignment. Accordingly, we construct an antiferromagnetic tunnel junction that achieves reversible resistance switching via polarization reversal without altering magnetic order, yielding a nonvolatile TMR ratio up to 300%. All these findings establish feasible pathways towards low-power, high-density antiferromagnetic spintronic devices.

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• Electric polarization
• Ferroelectricity
• Magnetism
• Spintronics
• DFT+U
• First-principles calculations
• Nonequilibrium Green's function