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arXiv · 2604.18337

Direct observation of quadruple spin-texture locking in a 2D d-wave altermagnet

Dan Mu·Bei Jiang·Qingchen Duan·Zulin Xu·Xingkai Cheng·Yusen Xiao·Xinru Han·Xinyu Liang·Zhaokun Luo·Ryan L. Kong·Qiheng Wang·Junwei Liu·Jianxin Zhong·Ruidan Zhong·Qiangqiang Gu·Baiqing Lv·Hong Ding
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Abstract

Altermagnets combine vanishing net magnetization with nonrelativistic, momentum-dependent spin splitting, offering a new paradigm for spintronics. Spin-crystal symmetry coupling, namely spin-lattice locking, is the defining mechanism of altermagnetism, enforcing opposite spin sublattices in real space and spin-momentum-locked electronic structure in reciprocal space. Direct atomic-scale visualization of spin-lattice locking therefore constitutes a decisive benchmark of the altermagnetic state, yet such evidence has remained elusive despite extensive efforts. Here we show that the electronic states in RbV2Se2O exhibit a d-wave-like spin texture at the sublattice level, providing the first atomic-scale evidence of spin-lattice locking with a predominantly c-axis spin orientation. By employing an in-situ, field-switchable spin-polarized Cr tip, we realize spin-contrast mapping of quasiparticle interference at identical energies, overcoming a long-standing experimental barrier in altermagnets. The resulting interference patterns exhibit pronounced spin-dependent modulations, establishing spin scattering locking and spin momentum locking as the real and reciprocal space manifestations. Unexpectedly, we uncover that the spin-selective scattering response is organized by a long-period stripe modulation, giving rise to a previously unidentified form of spin-texture locking, spin-stripe locking. We attribute this behavior to the emergence of a spin-density-wave moir\'e pattern. Together, these results establish a unified picture of quadruple spin-texture locking phenomena in a d-wave altermagnet, and position altermagnets as a versatile platform for exploring many-body interactions among intertwined degrees of freedom, including spin, lattice, momentum, moir\'e potential and valley.

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Dan Mu, Bei Jiang, Qingchen Duan, Zulin Xu, Xingkai Cheng, Yusen Xiao, Xinru Han, Xinyu Liang, Zhaokun Luo, Ryan L. Kong, Qiheng Wang, Junwei Liu, Jianxin Zhong, Ruidan Zhong, Qiangqiang Gu, Baiqing Lv, Hong Ding. 2026-04-20. Direct observation of quadruple spin-texture locking in a 2D d-wave altermagnet. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.18337

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