Peng, R., Fang, S., Ho, P., Liu, F., Zhou, T., Liu, J., & Ang, Y. S. (2025). Ferroelastic altermagnetism. Npj Quantum Materials, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-025-00835-7
Abstract:
Combination of altermagnetism and ferroic orders, such as ferroelectric switchable altermagnetism
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 106801 (2025) and Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 106802 (2025)], offers apowerful route to
achieve nonvolatile switching of altermagnetic spin splitting. In this work, by synergizing
altermagnetism and ferroelasticity, we propose the concept of ferroelastic altermagnets in which the
ferroelastic crystal reorientation can drive multistate nonvolatile switching of the altermagnetic spin
splitting via altermagnetoelastic effect. Using monolayers RuF4 and CuF2 as material candidates, we
demonstrate 2-state and 3-state altermagnetic spin splitting switching as driven by ferroelastic strain
states. Transport calculation shows that multistate spin conductivities can be ferroelastically encoded
in ferroelastic altermagnets, thus suggesting the potential of ferroelastic altermagnets as nonvolatile
nanomechanical spin switches. The proposed concept of ferroelastic altermagnetism enriches the
emerging landscape of multiferroic altermagnetism and shall pave a way towards straintronicspintronic
device applications.
License type:
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - RIE2025 Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity Individual Research Grants
Grant Reference no. : M23M6c0101
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - RIE2025 Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity Individual Research Grants
Grant Reference no. : M24N7c0086
This research / project is supported by the Ministry of Education - Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier2
Grant Reference no. : T2EP50224-0006