Nikolaos Biniskos

Altermagnets, a unique class of magnetic materials that combines features of both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, have garnered attention for their potential in spintronics and magnonics. While the electronic properties of altermagnets have been well studied, characterizing their magnon excitations is essential for fully understanding their behavior and enabling practical device applications. In this work, we introduce a measurement protocol combining resonant inelastic X-ray scattering with circular polarization and azimuthal scanning to probe the chiral nature of the altermagnetic split magnon modes in CrSb. This approach circumvents the challenges posed by domain averaging in macroscopic samples, allowing for precise measurements of the polarization and energy of the magnons in individual antiferromagnetic domains. Our findings demonstrate a pronounced circular dichroism in the magnon peaks, with an azimuthal dependence that is consistent with the theoretical predictions and the g-wave symmetry. By establishing a reliable and accessible method for probing altermagnetic magnons, this work opens new avenues for fundamental studies of these collective excitations and for developing next-generation magnonic device applications.

An inelastic neutron scattering technique is employed to investigate the paramagnetic spin dynamics in a single-crystalline sample of the magnetocaloric compound MnFe 4 Si 3 . In the investigated temperature range, 1.033 × T C to 1.5 × T C , where T C is the Curie temperature, the spin fluctuations are well described by the ferromagnetic Heisenberg model predictions. Apart from the Heisenberg exchange, additional pseudodipolar interactions manifest through a finite long-wavelength relaxation rate that vanishes at the transition temperature ( T C = 305 K). Based on the characteristic extent of spin fluctuations in wave-vector and energy space, we determine that the nature of magnetism in MnFe 4 Si 3 is localized above room temperature. This contrasts with the most celebrated Mn- and Fe-based magnetocaloric materials that are considered as itinerant magnets. The field dependence of the paramagnetic spectra shows a strong suppression of the quasielastic excitations, while a field-induced spin-wave mode appears at finite-energy transfers for a magnetic field of 2 T. This modification of the spectra suggests a decrease of magnetic entropy with applied magnetic field that finds echo in the magnetocaloric properties of the system. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

The phase of the quantum-mechanical wave function can encode a topological structure with wide-ranging physical consequences, such as anomalous transport effects and the existence of edge states robust against perturbations. While this has been exhaustively demonstrated for electrons, properties associated with the elementary quasiparticles in magnetic materials are still underexplored. Here, we show theoretically and via inelastic neutron scattering experiments that the bulk ferromagnet Mn₅Ge₃ hosts gapped topological Dirac magnons. Although inversion symmetry prohibits a net Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in the unit cell, it is locally allowed and is responsible for the gap opening in the magnon spectrum. This gap is predicted and experimentally verified to close by rotating the magnetization away from the c-axis with an applied magnetic field. Hence, Mn₅Ge₃ realizes a gapped Dirac magnon material in three dimensions. Its tunability by chemical doping or by thin film nanostructuring defines an exciting new platform to explore and design topological magnons. More generally, our experimental route to verify and control the topological character of the magnons is applicable to bulk centrosymmetric hexagonal materials, which calls for systematic investigation.

The metallic compound Mn5Si3 hosts a series of antiferromagnetic phases that can be controlled by external stimuli, such as temperature and magnetic field. In this work, we investigate the spin-excitation spectrum of bulk Mn5Si3 by combining inelastic neutron scattering measurements and density functional theory calculations. We study the evolution of the dynamical response under external parameters and demonstrate that the spin dynamics of each phase is robust against any combination of temperature and magnetic field. In particular, the high-energy spin dynamics is very characteristic of the different phases consisting of either spin waves or broad fluctuation patterns.

The metallic compound Mn$_5$Si$_3$ hosts a series of antiferromagnetic phases which can be controlled by external stimuli such as temperature and magnetic field. In this work, we investigate the spin-excitation spectrum of bulk Mn$_5$Si$_3$ by combining inelastic neutron scattering measurements and density functional theory calculations. We study the evolution of the dynamical response under external parameters and demonstrate that the spin dynamics of each phase is robust against any combination of temperature and magnetic field. In particular, the high-energy spin dynamics is very characteristic of the different phases consisting of either spin waves or broad fluctuations patterns.

By combining two independent approaches, inelastic neutron scattering measurements and density functional theory calculations, we study the spin-waves in the high-temperature collinear antiferromagnetic phase (AFM2) of Mn$_5$Si$_3$. We obtain its magnetic ground-state properties and electronic structure. This study allowed us to determine the dominant magnetic exchange interactions and magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the AFM2 phase of Mn$_5$Si$_3$. Moreover, the evolution of the spin excitation spectrum is investigated under the influence of an external magnetic field perpendicular to the anisotropy easy-axis. The low energy magnon modes show a different magnetic field dependence which is a direct consequence of their different precessional nature. Finally, possible effects related to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction are also considered.