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arXiv · 2606.14055

General Theory for Ferroelectric Control of Spin Splitting in Collinear Antiferromagnets

Zhihao Dai·Yingwei Chen·Junyi Ji·Chaoyu He·Hongjun Xiang
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Abstract

Electrical control of magnetism is crucial for next-generation spintronics. While recent advances have demonstrated ferroelectric switching in two-dimensional magnets, a general design strategy spanning different dimensionalities remains elusive. Here, we develop a group-theoretical framework for achieving ferroelectric control of spin splitting in collinear antiferromagnets, including altermagnets and compensated ferrimagnets. By systematically classifying switching operators through symmetry analysis, we identify a universal pathway for the simultaneous reversal of electric polarization and nonrelativistic spin splitting.We validate this approach in three representative systems: quasi-one-dimensional $(6,14)$ Zigzag graphene nanoribbons, two-dimensional~\ch{Nb3I8}, and three-dimensional altermagnetic~\ch{MnSe2}. Our work establishes a versatile design paradigm for magnetoelectric devices and expands the functional landscape of low-power spintronic materials beyond the low-dimensional limit.

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Zhihao Dai, Yingwei Chen, Junyi Ji, Chaoyu He, Hongjun Xiang. 2026-06-12. General Theory for Ferroelectric Control of Spin Splitting in Collinear Antiferromagnets. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.14055

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