Symmetry‐Driven Unconventional Magnetoelectric Coupling in Perovskite Altermagnets: From Bulk to the Two‐Dimensional Limit
The emergence of altermagnets establishes a new paradigm for multiferroics. Unlike conventional multiferroics that rely on direct magnetoelectric coupling, multiferroic altermagnets host a crystal-symmetry-mediated magnetoelectric interaction that is intrinsically more efficient and robust. Among candidate material platforms, layered perovskites are particularly appealing owing to their structural diversity and synthetic versatility. However, magnetoelectric properties at the two-dimensional scale remain largely unexplored, hindering their applicability in miniaturized, highly integrated devices. Here, we systematically investigate the dimensional evolution of ferroelectric polarization and magnetism in perovskite systems through symmetry analysis. We demonstrate that altermagnetism can persist in the two-dimensional limit, yet is strongly constrained by the magnetic configuration-with only C-type antiferromagnetic order supporting it. On the basis of mode-decomposition calculations, we further reveal that symmetry-restricted multimode couplings simultaneously govern ferroelectric polarization and altermagnetic spin splitting. Finally, combined with first-principles calculations, we propose several strategies to lift the magnetic-configuration constraint, extending the range of viable altermagnetic systems. These results underscore the critical role of dimensionality in symmetry-driven magnetoelectric coupling in perovskite altermagnets and pave the way toward next-generation electrically controlled spintronic and multiferroic devices.
Authors
- Z G Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6229-5567)
- Xunkai Duan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9843-869X)
- Tong Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4588-5263)
- Xianzhang Chen
- Bowen Hao
- Jiayong Zhang
- Zhou Cui
Institutions
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Suzhou University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Science
- Published
- 2026-04-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202600004
- Primary Topic
- Multiferroics and related materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation