{
  "abstract": "Altermagnets combine compensated magnetic order with momentum-dependent spin splitting, which makes them promising for future spintronic and magnonic applications, but their macroscopic responses can be strongly reduced by domain averaging. In hexagonal $α$-MnTe, three symmetry-related in-plane Néel-vector orientations and their time-reversal counterparts form six magnetic domain states, complicating both magnetic structure determination and measurements of the chiral magnon response. Using single-crystal neutron diffraction, we show that an in-plane field applied along the $[-1,1,0]$ direction produces a common magnetic domain orientation that saturates near $μ_0H=2$ T. A constrained refinement of 61 nuclear and magnetic reflections collected at 2 K and 2 T yields $\\mathbf{M}\\parallel[1,1,0]$, an ordered moment of $4.62(8)~μ_\\mathrm{B}$ per Mn, and an orientational domain population at $r_A:r_B:r_C=0.97:0.03(5):0$ that is compatible with a nearly complete alignment of orientational domains. Furthermore, an abnormal behaviour in the temperature dependence of the selected reflections is observed in 60-88 K, its microscopic origin is discussed within the context of possible intrinsic piezomagnetic or magnetoelastic effects. Because unpolarized diffraction neither distinguishes domain repopulation from continuous Néel-vector rotation nor resolves time-reversal antiphase domains, the field-prepared state is a near-single-orientation state rather than a truly single-domain state. This non-contact domain control provides a practical complement to strain and field-cooling approaches for preparing well-defined magnetic states in bulk $α$-MnTe.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2610.13444",
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Feihao Pan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yishui Zhou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sabreen Hammouda"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yinghao Zhu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Soohyeon Shin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Karin Schmalzl"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wolfgang Schmidt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Eric Ressouche"
    },
    {
      "name": "Oscar Fabelo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yixi Su"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1d2bx48h8y5cx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.13444",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1d2bx48h8y5cx",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.13444",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.mtrl-sci"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.str-el"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3104|Advanced Condensed Matter Physics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221529731",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.13444",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-09",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1d2bx48h8y5cx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:28:36Z",
      "native_id": "2610.13444",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.13444"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.mtrl-sci",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Magnetic-field-induced detwinning of orientational domains in altermagnet $α$-MnTe: A single-crystal neutron diffraction study",
  "title_text": "Magnetic-field-induced detwinning of orientational domains in altermagnet α-MnTe: A single-crystal neutron diffraction study",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:28:36Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1d2bx48h8y5cx",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}