Altermagnets
Why it Matters?
A novel duality in conduction polarity has been discovered in a magnetic material called chromium antimonide (CrSb), an altermagnet.
What You Should Know?
Altermagnets are a new class of magnetic materials combining properties of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, useful for spintronics (technology based on electron spin).
CrSb shows direction-dependent conduction polarity (DDCP), behaving as n-type (electron conduction) along one axis and p-type (hole conduction) along another.
This is the first known instance of an altermagnet showing such duality, making CrSb unique and highly promising.
The study was conducted by the S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
CrSb is metallic, retains magnetic order at over twice room temperature, and exhibits large altermagnetic spin-splitting (over 30 times room temperature).
The research could simplify the design of electronic, thermoelectric, and solar cell devices by eliminating the need for heterostructures or doping gradients.
CrSb is made from earth-abundant and non-toxic elements, making it environmentally sustainable.
CrSb could play a vital role in developing compact, energy-efficient, and versatile spintronic devices.