Piezomagnetism in a model cubic noncollinear altermagnet
Altermagnets constitute a distinct class of magnetic materials that combine compensated magnetic order with spin-polarized electronic bands, hence carrying characteristics of both antiferromagnets and ferromagnets. Piezomagnetism - the linear relationship between lattice strain and a net magnetic moment - has emerged as smoking-gun evidence of altermagnetism that distinguishes it from antiferromagnetism. Here, we uncover a large piezomagnetic response in MnTe2, a cubic altermagnet with a noncollinear spin arrangement and weak spin-orbit coupling. We combine dilatometry with nuclear magnetic resonance, a bulk local probe, to observe signatures of both direct and inverse piezomagnetism consistent with symmetry considerations and first-principles calculations. The dilatometry measurements reveal a shear deformation proportional to an applied magnetic field, while magnetic resonance detects a ferromagnetic moment induced by shear strain. The respective results for the piezomagnetic coupling strength are in good agreement, and they are captured by first-principles results. These findings for simple binary MnTe2 position this material as a model altermagnet, demonstrate the utility of nuclear magnetic resonance in investigations of piezomagnetism, and open new avenues for multimodal strain and magnetic-field control in spintronic and memory applications.