Comment on arXiv:2510.13767; Structural origin of resonant diffraction in RuO_2 (DOI: 10.1103/yr5q-1v1s)

TL;DR

This paper critiques a previous study on RuO₂, highlighting errors in the interpretation of resonant x-ray diffraction data that affect the validity of its conclusions.

Contribution

It identifies and corrects errors in the scattering amplitudes used in a prior experimental analysis of RuO₂'s magnetism.

Findings

Previous scattering amplitudes were incorrect and led to misleading conclusions.

Corrected amplitudes align with established results in Phys. Rev. B 105, 014403.

The critique clarifies the interpretation of resonant diffraction in RuO₂.

Abstract

Occhialini et al. (arXiv:2510.13767; DOI: 10.1103/yr5q-1v1s) add results to several recent experimental studies of bulk magnetism in the rutile compound RuO_2. It is of interest as a candidate altermagnet. The cited publication contains several serious errors. Notably, scattering amplitudes used to interpret measurements accomplished with resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction, which appear in the main text and SM (Eqs. 14 & 16), are wrong. The authors tender erroneous amplitudes (Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 017202) and thereby ignore previously published correct results (Phys. Rev. B 105, 014403). As a result, the concluding statement and Footnote SM [54] are misleading.