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Physicists find evidence of altermagnetism, a third type of magnetism

Physicists find evidence of altermagnetism, a third type of magnetism

New Capabilities

A third type of magnetism spreads across materials, promising faster, more efficient spin-based electronics

October 5th, 2026: Experimental evidence of altermagnetism found

Overview

Updated Oct 16

Electronics have run on electron charge for decades. A University of Central Florida team found evidence of altermagnetism, a third type of magnetism, in a layered material, reported in Nature Communications on October 5.

Altermagnets produce spin currents like ferromagnets but, like antiferromagnets, no stray magnetic fields. Since the UCF report, independent groups have extended the work: Rice University showed strain tunes electron flow in manganese telluride, and a Nature paper confirmed 2D altermagnetism. A chromium antimonide study found the magnetic state fades in films a few atoms thick.

Why it matters

If altermagnetic materials pan out, future computers could run on electron spin at terahertz speeds while using far less energy.

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Key Indicators

5
Materials with reported altermagnetic signatures
Manganese telluride, Co1/4TaSe2, chromium antimonide, KV2Se2O, and strained ruthenium dioxide have all shown experimental signs.

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People Involved

MN
Madhab Neupane
Professor of Physics, University of Central Florida
Led the team that found experimental evidence of altermagnetism in Co 1/4 TaSe2
 Libor Šmejkal
Libor Šmejkal
Physicist who theorized altermagnetism
Theoretical work predicted altermagnetism as a third type of magnetism

Organizations Involved

University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
Research university
Lead institution in the altermagnetism discovery

The University of Central Florida is the lead institution in the discovery of altermagnetism in Co 1/4 TaSe2.
Rice University
Rice University
Research university
Showed strain can tune electron flow in the altermagnet manganese telluride

Rice University researchers showed uniaxial strain can tune electron flow in manganese telluride and reverse the polarity of the anomalous Hall effect.

Timeline

2021 October 2026

7 events Latest: October 5th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Experimental evidence of altermagnetism found

    Latest Scientific discovery

    UCF team reports altermagnetic signatures in Co 1/4 TaSe2 using ARPES.

  2. Rice researchers tune electron flow in altermagnet with strain

    Scientific discovery

    Uniaxial strain isolated a single magnetic domain in manganese telluride. Near 230 K it also reversed the polarity of the anomalous Hall effect. A 1% strain change equals a 150 K temperature change.

  3. 2D altermagnetism confirmed in layered compound

    Scientific discovery

    A spin-selective scanning tunneling probe using helical edge modes confirmed d-wave altermagnetic order on the surface of KV2Se2O. The study was published in Nature.

  4. Altermagnetism vanishes in ultrathin chromium antimonide

    Scientific discovery

    One-bilayer films of CrSb showed room-temperature ferromagnetism instead of altermagnetism, which appears only in thicker films. The finding shows surface effects can change magnetic order.

  5. Strain induces altermagnetic signatures in ruthenium dioxide

    Scientific discovery

    Strained ultrathin RuO2 films on TiO2 showed spin-polarized electronic bands, a hallmark of altermagnetism, at the Advanced Light Source.

  6. Altermagnetism directly observed in manganese telluride

    Scientific discovery

    Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute and collaborators directly demonstrated altermagnetism in MnTe crystals using spin-resolved photoemission at the Swiss Light Source, confirming a third magnetic branch.

  7. Altermagnetism theory proposed

    Scientific discovery

    Libor Šmejkal and colleagues predicted altermagnetism as a third type of magnetism in 2021; their theory papers began in 2019.

Scenarios

1

Co 1/4 TaSe2 becomes the standard altermagnetism testbed

Likely Resolves by Oct 5, 2028

Discussed by: Madhab Neupane and the UCF research team

The material's layered structure and tunability make it ideal for studying altermagnetism. Neupane says it offers a valuable testing ground for exploring how altermagnetism interacts with other magnetic and electronic effects. If other groups adopt it, the material could become the standard platform for altermagnetism research.

2

Altermagnetic spintronics reaches commercial devices

Possible Resolves by Oct 5, 2036

Discussed by: Stuart Parkin, director of the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics

Parkin notes that GMR took about a decade to reach commercial impact, and the path from breakthrough to applications is strewn with obstacles. If altermagnetic materials prove manufacturable and durable, they could follow a similar path to commercial spintronic devices.

3

Further studies fail to confirm altermagnetism in Co 1/4 TaSe2

Unlikely Resolves by Oct 5, 2028

Discussed by: Condensed matter physics community, where replication is standard practice

The altermagnetic signature in Co 1/4 TaSe2 was identified through ARPES measurements that matched theoretical predictions. If independent groups cannot reproduce the results, the claim could be revised or withdrawn.

4

Chromium antimonide thin films reach device tests first

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Advanced Light Source researchers, whose CrSb thin-film work shows band splitting in device-relevant samples

The Advanced Light Source has reported altermagnetic band splitting in chromium antimonide thin films, samples closer to real devices than bulk crystals. Thin films are easier to build into circuits, so CrSb could move toward spintronic prototypes before the layered UCF material.

5

Strain control becomes the practical tuning method for altermagnets

Possible

Discussed by: Rice University researchers led by Dai

The Rice team showed uniaxial strain isolates a single magnetic domain in manganese telluride and, near 230 K, reverses the polarity of the anomalous Hall effect. If strain control transfers to other altermagnets, device designers could tune spin transport without changing temperature. Their calculations suggest a 1% strain change equals a 150 K temperature change.

6

Altermagnetism fails at device-relevant thickness

Possible

Discussed by: Authors of the CrSb study in NEWTON

One-bilayer CrSb films turned ferromagnetic instead of altermagnetic, so the state faded at the thickness most relevant to circuits. If other materials behave this way, altermagnetic spintronics may need thicker films or new heterostructure designs. The group's calculations point to the exposed chromium surface as the cause.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1988

Giant magnetoresistance discovery (1988)

Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg independently discovered that electrical resistance changes dramatically in layered magnetic structures. The effect, called giant magnetoresistance, was found in thin films of alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers.

Then

IBM developed GMR-based read heads in the 1990s, leading to a 1,000-fold increase in disk memory capacity.

Now

The discovery launched the field of spintronics and won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Why this matters now

GMR showed how a fundamental discovery about electron spin could transform consumer electronics. Altermagnetism could follow a similar path from lab to market.

2004

Graphene isolation (2004)

Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov isolated single-layer graphene at the University of Manchester using adhesive tape. The material had extraordinary electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.

Then

The discovery won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics and sparked a wave of research into two-dimensional materials.

Now

Commercial applications took years to emerge, with graphene finding uses in composites, coatings, and electronics.

Why this matters now

Like graphene, altermagnetic materials are layered and could take years to move from lab discovery to practical devices.

Sources

(15)
+9
ScienceDaily Sci.News ScienceAlert Scientific American Mindgrow Phys.org SciTechDaily EurekAlert! Ezetimes Rice News Nature NEWTON (Cell Press) Advanced Light Source EurekAlert! Phys.org