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Published on: June 7, 2018
Chemical Symmetry Breaking Enables Interconversion between Altermagnetic and Compensated Ferrimagnetic States
Bo Zhao1, Qinxi Liu2,3, Qiuping Yang1
1Dalian University of Technology, Key Laboratory of Material Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (, ), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024, China.
Physical Review Letters
|July 26, 2026
Summary
Researchers discovered a method to switch between altermagnetism and fully compensated ferrimagnetism, two types of zero-net-magnetization order. This breakthrough uses chemical symmetry breaking, paving the way for new spintronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Mechanics
Background:
- Altermagnetism and fully compensated ferrimagnetism are distinct zero-net-magnetization orders.
- Altermagnetism features momentum-dependent spin splitting due to crystal symmetry.
- Compensated ferrimagnetism has uniform spin splitting from band-filling constraints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a controllable pathway for interconverting altermagnetic and fully compensated ferrimagnetic states.
- To demonstrate chemical symmetry breaking as a general mechanism for this interconversion.
- To identify a suitable material platform for realizing this transition.
Main Methods:
- Symmetry analysis
- Tight-binding theory
- First-principles calculations
- Site-selective functionalization of the Cairo-pentagonal lattice
Main Results:
- The Cairo-pentagonal lattice generically hosts altermagnetic order.
- Site-selective functionalization converts this to a fully compensated ferrimagnetic state.
- This transition enhances anomalous Hall response and introduces magneto-optical Kerr effects.
Conclusions:
- Chemical symmetry breaking provides a general route to interconvert zero-magnetization orders.
- Chemically programmable two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks are identified as a versatile platform.
- This work enables symmetry-controlled spintronic functionalities.
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