Work

Crystal symmetry selected pure spin photocurrent in altermagnetic insulators

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Spin current generation in altermagnets is a central focus in spintronics. While the time-reversal-odd spin Hall effect is significant in metallic systems, insulating behavior is more common in antiferromagnets. Here, the authors demonstrate that pure spin currents can be generated in altermagnetic insulators through nonlinear photogalvanic effects, specifically via shift and injection currents. Remarkably, these mechanisms remain effective in producing directional pure spin currents even with spin-orbit coupling, in contrast to previous findings in nonmagnetic and parity-time symmetric antiferromagnetic materials.

Source: Physical review. B./Physical review. B

DOI: 10.1103/physrevb.111.195210

Authors: Ruizhi Dong, Ranquan Cao, Dian Tan, Ruixiang Fei

Institutions: Beijing Institute of Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic properties of thin films

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China

Award: G4805933687