Journal article
Electrical switching of a p-wave magnet
Nature (London), v 642(8066), pp 64-70
05 Jun 2025
PMID: 40437083
Abstract
Magnetic states with zero magnetization but non-relativistic spin splitting are outstanding candidates for the next generation of spintronic devices. Their electronvolt (eV)-scale spin splitting, ultrafast spin dynamics and nearly vanishing stray fields make them particularly promising for several applications1,2. A variety of such magnetic states with non-trivial spin textures have been identified recently, including even-parity d-wave, g-wave or i-wave altermagnets and odd-parity p-wave magnets3, 4, 5, 6-7. Achieving voltage-based control of the non-uniform spin polarization of these magnetic states is of great interest for realizing energy-efficient and compact devices for information storage and processing8,9. Spin-spiral type II multiferroics are optimal candidates for such voltage-based control, as they exhibit an inversion-symmetry-breaking magnetic order that directly induces ferroelectric polarization, allowing for symmetry-protected cross-control between spin chirality and polar order10, 11, 12, 13-14. Here we combine photocurrent measurements, first-principles calculations and group-theory analysis to provide direct evidence that the spin polarization of the spin-spiral type II multiferroic NiI2 exhibits odd-parity character connected to the spiral chirality. The symmetry-protected coupling between chirality and polar order enables electrical control of a primarily non-relativistic spin polarization. Our findings represent an observation of p-wave magnetism in a spin-spiral type II multiferroic, which may lead to the development of voltage-based switching of non-relativistic spin polarization in compensated magnets.
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Details
- Title
- Electrical switching of a p-wave magnet
- Creators
- Qian Song - MIT, Dept Phys, Cambridge, MA 02139 USASrdjan Stavric - University of Chieti-PescaraPaolo Barone - Bologna Research AreaAndrea Droghetti - University of Chieti-PescaraDaniil S. Antonenko - Drexel University, PhysicsConnor A. Occhialini - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBatyr Ilyas - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyEmre Ergecen - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNuh Gedik - MIT, Dept Phys, Cambridge, MA 02139 USASang-Wook Cheong - Rutgers State Univ, Keck Ctr Quantum Magnetism, Piscataway, NJ USARafael M. Fernandes - University of MinnesotaSilvia Picozzi - University of Milano-BicoccaJorn Venderbos - Drexel University, Materials Science and EngineeringRiccardo Comin - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Publication Details
- Nature (London), v 642(8066), pp 64-70
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Number of pages
- 20
- Grant note
- DMR-2410182 / NSF; National Science Foundation (NSF) CINECA award under the ISCRA initiative; CINECA, Italy 2022ZY8HJY / Spin-ORBit Effects in Two-dimensional magnets" (IT MIUR) PRIN-2022 / Next-Generation EU programme Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia; Ministry of Education, Science & Technological Development, Serbia US Department of Energy, Materials Science and Engineering Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES DMSE); United States Department of Energy (DOE) ICSC initiative DMR-2405560 / National Science Foundation (NSF) Yale Mossman Postdoctoral Fellowship FA9550-22-1-0130 / Air Force Office of Scientific Research under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP); United States Department of Defense; Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics; Materials Science and Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001498125400001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105006812375
- Other Identifier
- 991022083452704721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Multidisciplinary Sciences