Ultrafast Magneto-optical Fingerprints of Altermagnetism in MnTe

Abstract

Recently identified altermagnets exhibit a distinctive dual-space nature: they possess spin-split electronic bands akin to ferromagnets in momentum space while maintaining the fully compensated magnetization of antiferromagnets in real space. This inherent duality, originating from the same crystal symmetry, gives rise to various intriguing physical phenomena unique to altermagnets. Consequently, a robust and efficient experimental signature capable of revealing this dual character is critically needed. The magneto-optical Kerr and Voigt effects, given their high sensitivity to ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, respectively, are ideally suited to probe this duality. Here, using time-resolved pump-probe magneto-optical measurements, we report the coexistence of pronounced Kerr and Voigt effects in the altermagnet MnTe. Combining the magnetization measurement and first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the Kerr effect originates from the intrinsic Berry curvature of altermagnetism distribution in momentum space, while the Voigt effect arises from an anisotropic permittivity induced by the in-plane Néel order in real space, directly revealing the dual-space nature of altermagnets. Furthermore, the transient Kerr signal exhibits faster relaxation dynamics than the transient Voigt signal, underscoring their distinct origins in Berry curvature and Néel order, respectively. These findings establish transient magneto-optical responses as distinctive fingerprints of altermagnetism and position altermagnets as promising platforms for manipulating magneto-optical phenomena in ultrafast spin optoelectronics.