Nonvolatile Electrical Control of Spin via Sliding Fractional Quantum Multiferroics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel multiferroic phase called sliding fractional quantum multiferroicity (SFQM) in bilayer altermagnets, enabling nonvolatile electrical control of spin via interlayer sliding and symmetry-driven polarization.

Contribution

It uncovers the SFQM phase, demonstrating its unique properties and mechanisms for nonvolatile electrical spin control in 2D materials, supported by symmetry analysis and first-principles calculations.

Findings

Identification of bilayer Ca(CoN)$_2$ as a candidate for SFQM.

Demonstration of nonvolatile electrical control of spin via layer sliding.

Observation of switchable anomalous Hall effect and magneto-optical response.

Abstract

We propose a fractionally quantized polarization induced by interlayer sliding in bilayer altermagnets, unveiling a previously unrecognized multiferroic phase termed sliding fractional quantum multiferroicity (SFQM). This unconventional magnetic phase uniquely integrates sliding ferroelectricity with fractional quantum ferroelectricity, enabling highly efficient switching and nonvolatile electrical control of spin.~Unlike conventional multiferroics, SFQM simultaneously exhibits lattice-scale atomic displacements, ultralow switching barriers, and spin splitting, giving rise to a large fractionally quantized polarization and strong magnetoelectric coupling. Through symmetry analysis and first-principles calculations, we identify bilayer altermagnet Ca(CoN)$_2$ and its family materials as promising candidates hosting SFQM. In contrast to gate-controlled schemes, the spin-layer coupling in SFQM is intrinsically induced by spontaneous electrical and layer polarization, requiring no sustained gate field and exhibiting nonvolatile character. This mechanism enables nonvolatile electrical control of spin through biaxial sliding, where displacements along the \textit{x}- and \textit{y}-axes generate opposite polarization directions in the layer-dependent electrical polarization. Furthermore, SFQM exhibits a fully switchable anomalous Hall effect and a pronounced magneto-optical response, which can be utilized for its detection and distinction. These findings highlight the promising role of sliding-mediated couplings among unconventional magnetism, fractional quantum ferroelectricity, and stacking order in realizing electrically controllable two-dimensional multiferroics.