Spin Hall and Edelstein effects in chiral non-collinear altermagnets

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mengli Hu - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Oleg Janson - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Claudia Felser - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • Paul McClarty - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Jeroen van den Brink - , Clusters of Excellence ctd.qmat: Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter, Chair of Solid State Theory, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Maia G. Vergniory - , Université de Sherbrooke, Donostia International Physics Center (Author)

Abstract

Altermagnets are a newly discovered class of magnetic phases that combine the spin polarization behavior of ferromagnetic band structures with the vanishing net magnetization characteristic of antiferromagnets. Initially proposed for collinear magnets, the concept has since been extended to include certain non-collinear structures. A recent development in Landau theory for collinear altermagnets incorporates spin-space symmetries, providing a robust framework for identifying this class of materials. Here, we expand on that theory to identify altermagnetic multipolar order parameters in non-collinear chiral materials. We demonstrate that the interplay between non-collinear altermagnetism and chirality allows for spatially odd multipole components, leading to non-trivial spin textures on Fermi surfaces and unexpected transport phenomena, even in the absence of SOC. This makes such chiral altermagnets fundamentally different from the well-known SOC-driven Rashba-Edelstein and spin Hall effects used in 2D spintronics. Choosing the chiral topological magnetic material Mn3IrSi as a case study, we apply toy models and first-principles calculations to predict experimental signatures, such as large spin Hall and Edelstein effects, that have not been previously observed in altermagnets. These findings pave the way for a new realm of spintronics applications based on the spin-transport properties of chiral altermagnets.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number8529
JournalNature communications
Volume16
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 26 Sept 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 41006319