Electrical switching of a p-wave magnet

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Song, Qian; Stavric, Srdjan; Barone, Paolo; Droghetti, Andrea; Antonenko, Daniil S.; Venderbos, Joern W. F.; Occhialini, Connor A.; Ilyas, Batyr; Ergecen, Emre; Gedik, Nuh; Cheong, Sang-Wook; Fernandes, Rafael M.; Picozzi, Silvia; Comin, Riccardo
• 署名单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); G d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR); University of Belgrade; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR); University of Rome Tor Vergata; Universita Ca Foscari Venezia; Yale University; Drexel University; Rutgers University System; Rutgers University New Brunswick; Rutgers University System; Rutgers University New Brunswick; University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; University of Milano-Bicocca
• 刊物名称: Nature
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0028-2733
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09034-7
• 发表日期: 2025-06-05
• 关键词: magnetoresistance

摘要

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.