Strong magnetoelastic coupling in Mn3X ( X=Ge , Sn)

Kagome lattices host strongly correlated electronic phases and topological band structures. In Mn${}₃X$ ($X$ = Ge, Sn), anomalous transport behavior is induced by chiral antiferromagnetic ordering of the manganese spins. Here, the authors measure the elastic tensors of Mn${}₃X$ and Mn${}₃$Sn and discover some of the largest magnetoelastic coupling ever reported for itinerant antiferromagnets. This highlights the importance of strain for controlling the magnetism of Mn${}₃X$, and the authors suggest that Mn${}₃$Ge may be particularly favorable for straintronic applications.