Altermagnetism is a form of compensated magnetism: a material’s magnetic moments cancel, leaving no net magnetization, yet its crystal symmetries can still produce spin-split electronic bands. That combination sets it apart from both familiar ferromagnets and conventional antiferromagnets—and is why researchers are exploring it for future spin-based technologies.
How altermagnetism works
In a magnet, electrons have a property called spin, and their spins contribute to magnetic moments. In an altermagnet, moments point in opposing directions so they cancel overall. Unlike the simplified picture of a conventional antiferromagnet, however, the crystal symmetries in an altermagnet can allow the electronic bands for opposite spins to split in an alternating pattern across the material’s momentum space.
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Nature Reviews Materials characterizes altermagnets by “non-relativistic alternating spin splitting in the band structure and collinear compensated magnetic moments in real space.” The key is that the absence of net magnetization does not necessarily mean the electronic structure treats the two spin directions identically.
Altermagnets compared with ferromagnets and antiferromagnets
| Magnetic state | Net magnetization | Spin splitting | Practical implication |
| Ferromagnet | Usually present because magnetic moments align overall. | Present in the familiar ferromagnetic picture. | Can produce measurable magnetic effects, but net magnetization can also create stray fields. |
| Conventional collinear antiferromagnet | Absent because oppositely oriented moments cancel. | In the familiar conventional case, symmetry generally makes opposite-spin bands degenerate. | Low or vanishing stray fields, but not the same symmetry-enabled spin splitting described for altermagnets. |
| Altermagnet | Absent because moments compensate. | Alternating spin splitting is allowed by the crystal and spin symmetries. | Researchers hope to combine spin-dependent electronic effects with vanishing stray fields; this is a research motivation, not established commercial performance. |
The contrast is about both real-space magnetic moments and the symmetry of the electronic bands. An altermagnet retains compensated moments like an antiferromagnet while allowing a spin-dependent band structure that is more commonly associated with ferromagnets.
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What experiments have shown so far
Manganese telluride thin films
An American Physical Society account published on 18 January 2024 described manganese telluride thin films that, below 267 K, showed zero net magnetization and a spin-split band structure. The authors interpreted those observations as compelling evidence for altermagnetism in that material. The report noted that further spin-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) was planned. It also explained a measurement challenge: conventional ARPES is typically surface-sensitive, so the group studied thin films rather than thick blocks. (APS Physics Magazine)
Evidence is specific to the material studied
In 2024, Nature summarized two papers reporting experimental evidence of spin splitting in materials classed as altermagnets. These results make altermagnetism an active experimental field, not a settled label for every proposed candidate. Evidence in particular materials should not be read as confirmation that all predicted altermagnets have been observed. (Nature)
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Candidate materials—and what “candidate” means
A National Science Review paper published on 22 February 2025 reported 50 candidate materials identified using an AI-assisted search process and assessed with first-principles electronic-structure calculations. The candidates span metals, semiconductors, and insulators; the paper discusses predicted anomalous Hall, anomalous Kerr, and topological properties. These are computationally supported candidates, not 50 materials all experimentally demonstrated to be altermagnetic. (National Science Review)
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchRuO2 is a contested example rather than an uncontested showcase. The 2025 Nature Reviews Materials review cites reports arguing for a nonmagnetic ground state and an absence of magnetic order, alongside reports interpreting spectroscopic results as altermagnetic signatures. The disagreement means claims about RuO2 should be qualified rather than presented as settled. (Nature Reviews Materials)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why researchers are interested
Altermagnets may offer spin-dependent responses without the net magnetization associated with ferromagnets. That pairing motivates research in spintronics, where devices use electron spin as well as charge, and related fields such as magnonics, ultrafast photonics, and phononics. Proposed directions include high-density magnetic memories and terahertz nano-oscillators. These are potential applications and research goals; the cited sources do not establish that altermagnetic memory products are commercially available. (Nature Reviews Materials)
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