Imaging Surface Magnetization in Altermagnetic MnTe Films
Abstract
Altermagnets with pronounced spin-splitting band structure, unconventional magnetic and crystal symmetries, and exotic magneto-transport properties have received immense interest in cutting-edge spintronics, materials science, and condensed matter physics research. Microscopic imaging of spontaneous magnetic domains and phases in altermagnets constitutes an important step for investigating their underlying material properties, mechanisms, and spin behaviors. Taking advantage of scanning-probe quantum microscopy, here we report nanoscale quantum sensing of a prototypical altermagnet candidate α-MnTe. We visualize evanescent magnetization and the associated magnetic domains in epitaxial MnTe films, which allows external magnetic fields to control the intrinsic altermagnetic order and configurations. By evaluating a series of MnTe films with different thicknesses down to the atomic scale, we further present evidence for the interfacial origin of the observed weak magnetization and show its correlation with the anomalous Hall effect in MnTe film. Our results advance the current understanding of emergent altermagnetism, providing insights into future material design of altermagnet-integrated spintronic devices.
Related
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BibTeX
@misc{zhou2026imaging,
title = {{Imaging Surface Magnetization in Altermagnetic MnTe Films}},
author = {Ling-Jie Zhou and Senlei Li and Zi-Jie Yan and Yufei Zhao and Hongtao Rong and Zelong Xiong and Yiran Zhao and Zhaorong Gu and Pu Xiao and Ke Wang and Lok Kan Lai and Hyeonhu Bae and Haoyu Liu and Chao-Xing Liu and Binghai Yan and Cui-Zu Chang and Hailong Wang and Chunhui Rita Du},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2605.25241},
eprint = {2605.25241},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25241},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Imaging Surface Magnetization in Altermagnetic MnTe Films
AU - Ling-Jie Zhou
AU - Senlei Li
AU - Zi-Jie Yan
AU - Yufei Zhao
AU - Hongtao Rong
AU - Zelong Xiong
AU - Yiran Zhao
AU - Zhaorong Gu
AU - Pu Xiao
AU - Ke Wang
AU - Lok Kan Lai
AU - Hyeonhu Bae
AU - Haoyu Liu
AU - Chao-Xing Liu
AU - Binghai Yan
AU - Cui-Zu Chang
AU - Hailong Wang
AU - Chunhui Rita Du
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2605.25241
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25241
AB - Altermagnets with pronounced spin-splitting band structure, unconventional magnetic and crystal symmetries, and exotic magneto-transport properties have received immense interest in cutting-edge spintronics, materials science, and condensed matter physics research. Microscopic imaging of spontaneous magnetic domains and phases in altermagnets constitutes an important step for investigating their underlying material properties, mechanisms, and spin behaviors. Taking advantage of scanning-probe quantum microscopy, here we report nanoscale quantum sensing of a prototypical altermagnet candidate α-MnTe. We visualize evanescent magnetization and the associated magnetic domains in epitaxial MnTe films, which allows external magnetic fields to control the intrinsic altermagnetic order and configurations. By evaluating a series of MnTe films with different thicknesses down to the atomic scale, we further present evidence for the interfacial origin of the observed weak magnetization and show its correlation with the anomalous Hall effect in MnTe film. Our results advance the current understanding of emergent altermagnetism, providing insights into future material design of altermagnet-integrated spintronic devices.
ER -