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Altermagnetism: A New Branch of Magnetism with Revolutionary Potential

Since 2019, a team from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague and the Gutenberg University in Mainz has published a series of papers theoretically identifying unconventional magnetic materials. In 2021, theorists predicted that these materials represent a third fundamental type of magnet, altermagnets. Research published in Nature in February 2024 provided the first direct evidence of altermagnetism. The experimental confirmation of this novel magnetic phase was made possible through advanced technologies, including a photoemission electron spectrometer that allows for detailed examination of the electronic structure of materials.

The main contribution of the Pilsen team, led by Ján Minár, lies in the close integration of experimental and theoretical approaches to spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. It was the analysis of spin symmetry that enabled the description of the unconventional magnetic phase known as altermagnetism. The researchers further enhance their ability to gain deeper insights into the electronic properties of materials through the continuous development of proprietary software, which they have been working on for over 20 years.

Altermagnets now represent a third, entirely new branch of magnetism, combining the strengths of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. This breakthrough challenges the traditional division of magnetism into two known categories: strong ferromagnets, commonly used in IT to modulate electric currents, and antiferromagnets, which do not create unwanted magnetic fields but have limited practical applications.

“Altermagnetism opens new possibilities in information technologies, such as developing more efficient semiconductors and superconductors. It’s a discovery with tremendous potential,” explains Professor Ján Minár from NTC, who, along with his team, contributed to the groundbreaking study.

Science: A Prestigious Voice in Global Science

The journal Science is one of the most respected scientific publications in the world, renowned not only for publishing top-tier research but also for its annual selection of breakthroughs that shape the direction of science and technology. The inclusion of altermagnetism among this year’s top achievements is even more significant because the original article was published in Nature, emphasizing its global scientific importance.

“Many of the authors of this distinguished paper are based in Czech universities and research institutes. Thanks to Jan Minár, Sunil Dsouza and Zdeněk Jansa, I am immensely proud that the University of West Bohemia is part of this extraordinary study. It’s proof that Czech science holds its place on the global scientific map, and underscores the importance of providing it with maximum support,” says Petr Kavalíř, director of the NTC Research Institute at UWB.

The study brought together expertise from researchers at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Charles University, the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria, and the University of Nottingham in the UK.

Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year

As the Science breakthrough of the year, the revolutionary HIV injection therapy with 99.9% effectiveness was recognized. Other remarkable achievements include a novel approach to treating autoimmune diseases with CAR-T therapy, stunning images from NASA’s JWST telescope that rewrite our understanding of galaxy and star formation, innovative RNA-based pesticides for crop protection, the discovery of an organelle called nitroplast, microscopic fossils that astonish evolutionary biologists with their extreme age, and new insights into the shaping of continents.

Read more in the Science Breakthrough of the Year article.