Researchers at Rice University, the University of Minnesota, and the Paul Scherrer Institute have identified magnetic properties in ultrathin films of ruthenium dioxide, a material previously thought to be nonmagnetic in its standard bulk form. The team, led by physicist Ming Yi, published their findings in Science Advances, demonstrating that the material may exhibit altermagnetism, an unusual form of magnetism proposed in recent years as potentially valuable for computing applications.
The investigation focused on examining the spin texture of the ultrathin ruthenium dioxide, which describes how the magnetic moments and electron spins are organized within the material’s structure. Using a measurement technique known as spin-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, the researchers analyzed patterns that reveal whether a material possesses magnetic properties and what type of magnetism it displays. Analysis of their measurements, supported by theoretical calculations, indicated that the ultrathin form of ruthenium dioxide exhibited spin textures consistent with unconventional magnetism under their experimental conditions.
A key finding was that the magnetic behavior appeared only when the material experienced lattice strain, which applies pressure to its atomic structure. In its natural bulk state without this strain, the electron spins did not demonstrate signs of altermagnetism. This strain-dependent behavior suggests that researchers could potentially use lattice strain as a controllable mechanism to induce or regulate magnetic properties in future electronic materials.
The results may have implications for spintronics, a field utilizing electron spin alongside electrical charge for data processing and storage, as well as for next-generation computer memory designs. The work also underscores the complexity of studying quantum materials, as ruthenium dioxide had been the subject of extended scientific debate regarding its magnetic nature before researchers reached consensus that its bulk form lacks magnetism. The findings demonstrate how altering material dimensions and applying atomic-level strain can produce substantially different physical behavior.
The research received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s EPiQS Initiative, and the Robert A. Welch Foundation.
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