Magnon-polaron mediated spin Seebeck effect in altermagnets

Altermagnets, distinguished by compensated antiparallel spins yet nondegenerate magnon spectra, bridge the gap between ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Although several probes such as anisotropic transport and spectroscopic measurements have been proposed to identify altermagnetic order, experimentally accessible transport signatures remain highly desirable. Here, we show that in altermagnets subject to an external magnetic field, the spin Seebeck effect exhibits pronounced directional anisotropy. Specifically, the spin Seebeck coefficient differs significantly along in-plane directions, and this anisotropy increases with field strength. Magnetoelastic interactions further produce resonant peaks whose positions with respect to an applied magnetic field reflect the intrinsic magnon band anisotropy, and provide localized features that enhance the distinguishability of the altermagnetic response. The peaks provide a robust experimental signature of altermagnetic order. Our findings serve as signatures of altermagnetic order while laying the groundwork for their application in spintronic devices.