Berlin 2024 – scientific programme
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MA: Fachverband Magnetismus
MA 11: Functional Antiferromagnetism
MA 11.2: Talk
Monday, March 18, 2024, 15:15–15:30, EB 202
Exchange spin-orbit coupling and unconventional p-wave magnetism — •Anna Birk Hellenes1, Tomáš Jungwirth2,3, Jairo Sinova1,2, and Libor Šmejkal1,2 — 1JGU Mainz — 2FZU Prague — 3University of Nottingham
Relativistic spin-orbit coupling is a cornerstone in fundamental and applied research, governing phenomena such as spin Hall effects and topological insulators. The mechanism arises from the Dirac equation in non-centrosymmetric crystals and is typically confined to meV scales unless introducing heavy elements. In this work, we unveil a previously overlooked mechanism based on a magnetic analog of p-wave He-3 superfluidity that does not require heavy elements. Our mechanism shares the characteristic signature of spin-orbit coupling with the Dirac approach – namely, antisymmetric, p-wave, time-reversal-invariant spin polarization in the band structure. Unlike the relativistic Dirac equation, our spin-orbit coupling emerges from the magnetic exchange interaction in non-centrosymmetric crystals exhibiting a non-collinear spin order. We predict giant spin splitting magnitudes on the order of hundreds of meV in a realistic material candidate, namely antiperovskite Ce3InN. Our findings open avenues for giant exchange spin-orbit coupling phenomena in materials comprising abundant light elements, with implications ranging from spintronics and nanoelectronics to topological matter [1].
[1]: Hellenes, Jungwirth, Sinova, and Šmejkal, arXiv:2309.01607.
Keywords: Antiferromagnetism; spin-orbit coupling; exchange; spin splitting; p-wave magnetism