Symmetry Breaking Reveals Altermagnetism


 

An international research team, including scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, has developed a new approach to directly access altermagnetic order by introducing a controlled distortion of the crystal lattice.

 

 

Altermagnets possess an unusual symmetry that distinguishes them from conventional magnetic materials while simultaneously making their experimental identification challenging. An international research team, including scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, has now demonstrated that a controlled distortion of the crystal lattice can deliberately break this symmetry and thereby provide direct access to the altermagnetic order. The work that was selected as a PRL highlight establishes a new thermodynamic approach to probing altermagnetism and could significantly accelerate research into this emerging and rapidly growing class of materials.

MPI CPfS, EG