$d$-Wave Flat Fermi Surface in Altermagnets Enables Maximum Charge-to-Spin Conversion

TL;DR

This paper reveals that a $d$-wave altermagnet with a flat Fermi surface can theoretically reach 100% charge-to-spin conversion efficiency, demonstrated experimentally in KV$_2$O$_2$Se with record high efficiency near 98%.

Contribution

It establishes a fundamental link between Fermi surface shape and $ ext{T}$-odd spin currents, introducing a new mechanism for maximizing charge-to-spin conversion in altermagnets.

Findings

KV$_2$O$_2$Se exhibits a 78% CSE at charge neutrality.

Doping increases CSE to approximately 98%.

A $d$-wave flat Fermi surface enables maximum theoretical CSE of 100%.

Abstract

Altermagnets combine antiferromagnetic order with ferromagnet-like spin splitting, a duality that unlocks ultrafast spin-dependent responses. This unique property creates unprecedented opportunities for spin-current generation, overcoming the intrinsic limitations of conventional spin-transfer and spin-orbit torque approaches in magnetic memory technologies. Here, we establish a fundamental relationship between Fermi surface geometry and time-reversal-odd ($\mathcal{T}$-odd) spin currents in altermagnets through combined model analysis and first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that a $d$-wave altermagnet with a flat Fermi surface can achieve a theoretical upper limit of charge-to-spin conversion efficiency (CSE) of 100%. This mechanism is realized in the newly discovered room-temperature altermagnetic metal KV$_2$O$_2$Se, which exhibits a CSE of $\sim$78% at the charge neutrality point, nearly double that of RuO$_2$, setting a new record for $\mathcal{T}$-odd CSE. Under electron doping, this efficiency further increases to $\sim$98%, approaching the theoretical limit. Our work advances the fundamental understanding of $\mathcal{T}$-odd spin currents via Fermi surface geometry engineering and provides key insights for developing next-generation altermagnet-based memory devices.