Symmetry-Enforced Ferroelectric Switching of Two-Dimensional Altermagnetism

Abstract

Altermagnetism features strong momentum-dependent spin splitting despite zero net magnetization, offering a transformative platform for next-generation spintronics. However, the nonvolatile and deterministic switching between its two equivalent spin-splitting states remains a fundamental bottleneck. Here, we propose a universal layer-engineering paradigm to achieve symmetry-enforced ferroelectric switching of two-dimensional altermagnetism. By sandwiching a conventional antiferromagnetic monolayer between two identical ferroelectric layers, the out-of-plane polarization cleanly breaks the spatial symmetry to induce robust altermagnetic splitting. Crucially, the global combined parity-time symmetry dictates that reversing the ferroelectric polarization exactly inverts the altermagnetic spin-splitting pattern. We rigorously validate this mechanism in the In2Se3/MnPTe3/In2Se3 trilayer using first-principles calculations. As a direct consequence, the ferroelectrically driven spin-splitting reversal deterministically flips the anomalous Hall effect signal, providing an unambiguous transport fingerprint to electrically distinguish the two altermagnetic states. Unconstrained by the stringent symmetry requirements of intrinsic single-phase materials, our findings establish a versatile physical framework for electrically addressable altermagnetic spintronics.