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Magnetic reconstruction of the altermagnet α-MnTe(0001) surface driven by ligand holes · arXivDesk

2608.12878Aug 13, 2026

Magnetic reconstruction of the altermagnet α-MnTe(0001) surface driven by ligand holes

Tomonori Tanaka, Yoshihiro Gohda

Materials Science Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Abstract

We show from first principles that the altermagnet α-MnTe reconstructs its magnetic order at the (0001) surface, into a stacking with a ferromagnetic outermost Mn bilayer that is lower in energy than the bulk-continued one. The clean termination leaves a ligand hole in the Te dangling bonds. What drives the reversal is the part of the hole reaching the Te that mediates the exchange within that Mn bilayer. The computed constant-energy contours are consistent with photoemission maps. Transport and spectroscopy on films are therefore sensitive to a surface magnetic order that is not the bulk one.

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Researchers working in cond-mat.mtrl-sci and adjacent areas.

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The paper addresses: Magnetic reconstruction of the altermagnet α-MnTe(0001) surface driven by ligand holes.
We show from first principles that the altermagnet α-MnTe reconstructs its magnetic order at the (0001) surface, into a stacking with a ferromagnetic outermost Mn bilayer that is lower in energy than the bulk-continued one.