Observation of the anomalous Nernst effect in altermagnetic candidate Mn5Si3

Authors

A. Badura, W. H. Campos, V. K. Bharadwaj, I. Kounta, L. Michez, M. Petit, J. Rial, M. Leiviskä, V. Baltz, F. Krizek, D. Kriegner, J. Zemen, S. Telkamp, S. Sailler, M. Lammel, R. Jaeschke Ubiergo, A. Birk Hellenes, R. González-Hernández, J. Sinova, T. Jungwirth, S. T. B. Goennenwein, L. Šmejkal, H. Reichlová

Laboratory / Department
Department of Spintronics and Nanoelectronics
DOI
10.48550/arXiv.2403.12929
Year
2025

Altermagnets combine compensated collinear magnetic order with anisotropic spin splitting, but were thought incapable of hosting the anomalous Nernst effect — a transverse voltage generated by a temperature gradient in magnetically ordered materials. We show that Mn₅Si₃ thin films on Si exhibit a sizable spontaneous anomalous Nernst effect despite their vanishing net magnetization, demonstrating that altermagnets represent a new class of materials where this effect can be observed and utilized.

Schematic illustration of the anomalous Nernst effect measurement in Mn₅Si₃. A longitudinal temperature gradient (orange arrow) applied across the thin film induces a spontaneous transverse voltage Vy. The crystal structure of Mn₅Si₃ with two is shown on the film surface.