journal article·2026-04-16

Deterministic switching in altermagnets via asymmetric sublattice spin current

Sayan Sarkar, Sunit Das, Amit Agarwal

Physical Review B· Volume 113· Issue 15
Publisher page

Abstract

We demonstrate a deterministic switching mechanism in collinear altermagnets driven by asymmetric sublattice spin currents. Unlike conventional antiferromagnets, where combined parity-time-reversal symmetry enforces purely staggered sublattice spin torques, altermagnets host symmetry-protected nonrelativistic spin splitting that produces unequal torques on the two sublattices. Using doped FeSb$_2$ as a representative $d$-wave altermagnet, our Landau--Lifshitz--Gilbert simulations show that these torques enable magnetic-field-free and deterministic 180$^\circ$ Néel vector reversal over picosecond timescale. The mechanism is generic to even-parity altermagnets and remains effective even in centrosymmetric, weak spin-orbit coupled systems, where the Néel spin-orbit torque mechanism fails. Our results establish an experimentally accessible mechanism for switching of altermagnetic order, opening pathways for realizing ultrafast, low-power altermagnet spintronic devices.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Magnetic properties of thin films · Topological Materials and Phenomena · Multiferroics and related materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Indian Institute of Technology

Funding

Arthritis National Research Foundation

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