English

Edgetronics in Two-Dimensional Altermagnets

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2025-09-09 v5 Materials Science

Abstract

The coupling between real-space inhomogeneities coordinates and spin (r-s) provides an alternative route to achieve efficient spin manipulation in spintronics beyond the conventional momentum-spin (k-s) coupling paradigm. Here we demonstrate an unexpected manifestation of one-dimensional (1D) r-s coupling in two-dimensional (2D) altermagnetic second-order topological insulators, where the spin-split floating edge states -- energetically isolated within the bulk band gap -- emerge and exhibit both Neel-vector-dependent and electrically tunable behaviors. The 1D edge-spin r-s coupling ensures carrier transport to be exclusively carried by the edge states with quantized spin conductance, giving rise to an unconventional edge tunnel magnetoresistance (edge-TMR) effect that can be switched On or Off. As a proof of concept, we computationally design an edge-TMR device based on Cr_2Se_2O monolayer to demonstrate its edge transportation and controllability via the N\'eel order or electric field. Our findings propose a general prototype altermagnetic device for next-generation low-dimensional spintronics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2508.10451,
  title  = {Edgetronics in Two-Dimensional Altermagnets},
  author = {Shibo Fang and Zongmeng Yang and Jianhua Wang and Xingyue Yang and Jing Lu and Ching Hua Lee and Xiaotian Wang and Yee Sin Ang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.10451},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

7 pages, 4 figures

R2 v1 2026-07-01T04:49:31.366Z