English

Non-relativistic spin splitting in compensated magnets that are not altermagnets

Materials Science 2024-12-31 v1

Abstract

The non-relativistic spin-splitting (NRSS) of electronic bands in "altermagnets" has sparked renewed interest in antiferromagnets (AFMs) that have no net magnetization. However, altermagnets with collinear and compensated magnetism are not the only type of NRSS AFMs. In this study, we identify the symmetry conditions and characteristic signatures of a distinct group of NRSS AFMs that go beyond the description of altermagnets. These compounds exhibit a broken spin-degeneracy among the spin-polarized bands at the Γ\Gamma point in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC). We use density functional theory calculations to validate these models in ternary magnetic nitrides, specifically MnXN2_2 (X = Si, Ge, Sn), and their cation ordered variants. By removing the previous NRSS constraint on Γ\Gamma, these compounds may facilitate the generation of spin currents without cancellation arising from the alternating spin polarizations. Our findings expand the scope of NRSS eligible materials.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2402.14321,
  title  = {Non-relativistic spin splitting in compensated magnets that are not altermagnets},
  author = {Lin-Ding Yuan and Alexandru B. Georgescu and James M. Rondinelli},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2402.14321},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

7 pages, 3 figures