Emerging Materials in Antiferromagnetic Spintronics

The use of antiferromagnetic materials constitutes a paradigm shift for the development of new spintronic components, beyond what is possible with the traditional ferromagnetic materials.
Antiferromagnetism is described by its order parameter, also known as the Néel vector, which is expressed macroscopically in an indirect manner. This magnetic ordering can give rise to new symmetry breaking, which can have profound impact on electronic structure. Consequently, the physics of antiferromagnetic materials is very rich, sometimes unique and unexpected compared to their ferromagnetic counterparts. New types of effects allowed in antiferromagnetic materials include for example: pseudospin magnonics, staggered topology, self-compensating skyrmions, and compatibility with superconductivity. Furthermore, the great diversity in which antiferromagnetic materials appear in nature – from metals to insulators, not to mention the great wealth of magnetic textures and topological structures, provides a vast and fascinating playground.

Several application-oriented advances have, for example, led to research into the development of ultrafast components, spin-current logic connectors, high-density secure memories, current-induced deterministic ferromagnetic switching memories assisted by antiferromagnets, and components for neuromorphic electronics.

This topical issue aims to provide the reader with the latest material development efforts to explore the cutting-edge fundamental physics and promising applications of antiferromagnetic materials.