Brief
UCF researchers detect altermagnetism in cobalt‑tantalum selenide
The finding could enable ultrafast, energy‑efficient memory without stray magnetic fields.
By Felo News Desk · Published
University of Central Florida physicist Madhab Neupane and collaborators have reported signatures of altermagnetism in the layered material Co₁/₄TaSe₂, according to a SciTechDaily article published on Oct. 8, 2026.
Altermagnetism is a recently identified magnetic state that splits electronic bands by spin while avoiding the stray magnetic fields typical of ferromagnets. In ferromagnets, magnetic moments align and generate external fields; in antiferromagnets, opposing moments cancel, reducing stray fields but also limiting useful electronic properties. Altermagnets aim to combine the spin‑splitting benefits of ferromagnets with the low‑field environment of antiferromagnets.
Neupane’s team grew high‑quality Co₁/₄TaSe₂ crystals using molecular beam epitaxy and examined them with angle‑resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and time‑resolved ARPES. Measurements were carried out at the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource. The experiments revealed electronic band structures that match theoretical predictions for altermagnetism, indicating that the material’s cobalt atoms produce the required spin‑dependent splitting without generating stray fields.
The material belongs to the transition‑metal dichalcogenide (TMD) family, characterized by weakly bound, atomically thin layers. In Co₁/₄TaSe₂, magnetic cobalt atoms reside between the layers, giving rise to the unusual magnetic behavior. The researchers emphasize that clean, atomically flat surfaces were essential for the ARPES measurements, prompting careful sample preparation and screening.
According to the report, altermagnetic materials like Co₁/₄TaSe₂ could provide a new pathway for ultrafast memory and energy‑efficient electronics. By exploiting electron spin without the interference of stray magnetic fields, future devices might achieve higher speeds and lower power consumption than conventional charge‑based circuits.
Key facts
- Researchers identified altermagnetism signatures in Co₁/₄TaSe₂. (scitechdaily.com)
- Experiments used ARPES and time‑resolved ARPES at ALS and SSRL. (scitechdaily.com)
- Altermagnetism splits electronic bands by spin without stray fields. (scitechdaily.com)
- Co₁/₄TaSe₂ is a transition‑metal dichalcogenide with magnetic cobalt layers. (scitechdaily.com)
- The discovery could enable ultrafast, low‑interference spintronic devices. (scitechdaily.com)
Sources
- [1] scitechdaily.com — originally reported as “This Strange New Magnetism Could Change How Computers Work”
