Altermagnetismus and spin symmetries

Traditionally, magnetic solids are classified as ferro- or antiferromagnets. In them, the spins of certain atoms are oriented either parallel or antiparallel as elementary magnets. Recently, we have identified a new class of magnetism — altermagnetism. Altermagnets exhibit a more complex ordering of spins around the atoms—spatially anisotropic, alternating, and compensated, which breaks lattice symmetries. The discovery of altermagnetism has inspired new avenues for exploring the fundamental symmetries of magnets and their applications in low-power, high-density, and ultrafast nanoelectronics.