Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of condensed-matter physics, shedding new light on the phenomenon of lifted Kramers spin degeneracy (LKSD). The study, titled ‘Altermagnetic lifting of Kramers spin degeneracy,’ was published in Nature and has significant implications for various applications in the realm of magnetism.

Traditionally, LKSD has been attributed to two internal symmetry-breaking mechanisms: time-reversal symmetry breaking by magnetization of ferromagnets and crystals with broken inversion symmetry. However, a recent theory work has identified an unconventional magnetic phase, known as altermagnetic, which allows for LKSD without net magnetization and inversion-symmetry breaking.

The researchers confirmed this unconventional mechanism using photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. They observed the altermagnetic LKSD in centrosymmetric MnTe, a material with vanishing net magnetization. This discovery has the potential to have far-reaching implications in the field of magnetism, opening up new avenues for exploration and exploitation of the unconventional nature of this magnetic phase in a wide range of materials, including insulators, semiconductors, metals, and superconductors.

This groundbreaking research has the potential to drive advancements in magnetic-memory technology and contribute to the understanding of topological quantum matter. The identification of the altermagnetic LKSD challenges traditional notions and paves the way for further research in the field of magnetism.