Ruthenium Dioxide: A New Magnetic Material for AI Memory

A joint research team has demonstrated altermagnetism in thin films of ruthenium dioxide (RuO₂), opening new possibilities for memory devices in the AI era. Altermagnetism represents a third fundamental class of magnetic behavior, distinct from ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Unlike conventional ferromagnetic materials, altermagnets possess no net magnetization, making them resistant to interference from stray fields. However, unlike antiferromagnets, they still allow electrical readout of spin-dependent properties, making them attractive for high-speed and high-density memory applications.

The research team addressed challenges in fabricating high-quality RuO₂ samples by carefully controlling the crystallographic orientation of thin films grown on sapphire substrates. Using X-ray magnetic linear dichroism, they directly identified the spin arrangement and confirmed that the magnetic poles cancel each other out. They also observed spin-split magnetoresistance, providing electrical evidence of altermagnetism. These experimental findings were consistent with first-principles calculations, strengthening confidence in the interpretation.

The study identifies RuO₂ thin films as a practical platform for studying altermagnetism and evaluating its suitability for device applications. Looking ahead, the team plans to explore memory devices that use RuO₂ thin films to achieve efficient, high-speed information processing. The synchrotron-based magnetic analysis techniques developed in this work can also be applied to other candidate altermagnetic materials, supporting broader research in spintronics.

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