Intrinsic Raman Modes and Crystal Symmetry of Altermagnetic α-MnTe

Abstract

Crystal symmetry governs the physical properties of materials and provides the framework for interpreting their microscopic excitations and macroscopic responses. In altermagnets, the crystal symmetries that relate opposite-spin sublattices give rise to momentum-dependent spin splitting despite compensated magnetization. Determining the real crystal symmetry is therefore essential for understanding the intrinsic electronic and magnetic properties. For the altermagnetic semiconductor α-MnTe, conflicting Raman assignments have left both its intrinsic lattice excitations and its crystal symmetry unresolved. Here we combine high-resolution Raman and second-harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy with first-principles calculations to distinguish intrinsic lattice excitations from Te-derived spectral contributions and to examine bulk inversion symmetry of α-MnTe. We show that several prominent Raman features previously assigned to α-MnTe instead originate from segregated Te clusters or precipitates. The remaining intrinsic Raman response consists of a single Raman-active mode assigned to the calculated E_2g phonon, consistent with the centrosymmetric D_6h symmetry. The SHG response agrees with surface electric-dipole and bulk electric-quadrupole contributions expected for a centrosymmetric D_6h crystal, supporting the preservation of bulk inversion symmetry in α-MnTe. Our findings revise the Raman assignments in α-MnTe and provide a basis for interpreting its altermagnetic properties within the appropriate crystal-symmetry framework.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{cui2026intrinsic,
  title = {{Intrinsic Raman Modes and Crystal Symmetry of Altermagnetic $α$-MnTe}},
  author = {Yunpeng Cui and Shuai Zhang and Jia-Liang Xie and Jinxuan Liang and Hao Lin and Miao Qin and Jiawei Shao and Gongling Chen and Yidian Li and Yixuan Luo and Deng Hu and Bingru Lu and Hao Li and Xiang Li and Tiantian Liu and Haodong Yu and Hongyun Zhang and Shuyun Zhou and Zhiwei Wang and Yanfeng Guo and Tiantian Zhang and Miao-Ling Lin and Ping-Heng Tan and Feng Jin and Luyi Yang},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.32261},
  eprint = {2610.32261},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.32261},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - Intrinsic Raman Modes and Crystal Symmetry of Altermagnetic α-MnTe
AU  - Yunpeng Cui
AU  - Shuai Zhang
AU  - Jia-Liang Xie
AU  - Jinxuan Liang
AU  - Hao Lin
AU  - Miao Qin
AU  - Jiawei Shao
AU  - Gongling Chen
AU  - Yidian Li
AU  - Yixuan Luo
AU  - Deng Hu
AU  - Bingru Lu
AU  - Hao Li
AU  - Xiang Li
AU  - Tiantian Liu
AU  - Haodong Yu
AU  - Hongyun Zhang
AU  - Shuyun Zhou
AU  - Zhiwei Wang
AU  - Yanfeng Guo
AU  - Tiantian Zhang
AU  - Miao-Ling Lin
AU  - Ping-Heng Tan
AU  - Feng Jin
AU  - Luyi Yang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/23
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.32261
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.32261
AB  - Crystal symmetry governs the physical properties of materials and provides the framework for interpreting their microscopic excitations and macroscopic responses. In altermagnets, the crystal symmetries that relate opposite-spin sublattices give rise to momentum-dependent spin splitting despite compensated magnetization. Determining the real crystal symmetry is therefore essential for understanding the intrinsic electronic and magnetic properties. For the altermagnetic semiconductor α-MnTe, conflicting Raman assignments have left both its intrinsic lattice excitations and its crystal symmetry unresolved. Here we combine high-resolution Raman and second-harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy with first-principles calculations to distinguish intrinsic lattice excitations from Te-derived spectral contributions and to examine bulk inversion symmetry of α-MnTe. We show that several prominent Raman features previously assigned to α-MnTe instead originate from segregated Te clusters or precipitates. The remaining intrinsic Raman response consists of a single Raman-active mode assigned to the calculated E_2g phonon, consistent with the centrosymmetric D_6h symmetry. The SHG response agrees with surface electric-dipole and bulk electric-quadrupole contributions expected for a centrosymmetric D_6h crystal, supporting the preservation of bulk inversion symmetry in α-MnTe. Our findings revise the Raman assignments in α-MnTe and provide a basis for interpreting its altermagnetic properties within the appropriate crystal-symmetry framework.
ER  -

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