Altermagnetic variants in thin films of Mn5Si3
Résumé
The altermagnet candidate Mn5Si3 has attracted wide attention in the context of non-relativistic spin physics, due to its composition of light elements. However, the presumed structure of the altermagnetic phase had yet to be demonstrated. In this study, we demonstrate a hallmark of altermagnetism in Mn5Si3 thin films, namely the three options, or variants, for the checkerboard distribution of the magnetic Mn atoms. The magnetic symmetries were altered by field-rotation of the Néel vector along relevant crystal directions, resulting in anomalous Hall effect anisotropy. The experimental results in nanoscale devices were corroborated by a theoretical model involving atomic site dependent anisotropy and bulk Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction for a single variant. These findings elevate Mn5Si3 from a candidate to a proven altermagnet.
Domaines
Matière Condensée [cond-mat]| Origine | Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte |
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