Uniaxial strain reveals new way to tune electron flow in altermagnet material

Scientists have discovered a method to control electron flow in a new type of magnet called altermagnetism, which could lead to faster, more efficient electronic devices. Altermagnetism combines the properties of ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, potentially reducing heat during information transfer and enabling miniaturization of next-generation technologies.

Researchers at Rice University, led by Pengcheng Dai, successfully applied a uniaxial strain to hexagonal manganese telluride, a material known for forming multidomain structures. This strain caused the material to adopt a single magnetic domain, allowing for clearer characterization of its intrinsic magnetic structure. The uniaxial strain also enabled the team to reverse the polarity of the anomalous Hall effect, a magnetic phenomenon that typically requires temperature changes to manipulate.

This discovery suggests that strain-induced changes in the Berry curvature, a mathematical description of the magnetic properties of a material, could be the cause of this tunable effect. Unlike traditional methods that rely on temperature adjustments, this strain control technique could enable precise tuning of the anomalous Hall effect with minimal energy input. A 1% change in strain was estimated to correspond to a 150 K change in temperature, offering a practical alternative to conventional temperature-based methods.

The ability to control altermagnetism through strain could lead to the development of more efficient and compact electronic devices, with potential applications in next-generation spin-transport technologies. By harnessing the unique properties of altermagnets, researchers hope to create devices that operate at higher frequencies, generate less heat, and consume less power, ultimately improving the performance and longevity of electronic devices like smartphones.