A Theory of Anisotropic Magnetoresistance in Altermagnets and Its Applications

Altermagnets, a newly discovered class of magnets, integrate the advantages of both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, such as enabling anomalous transport without stray fields and supporting ultrafast spin dynamics, offering exciting opportunities for spintronics. A key challenge in altermagnetic spintronics is the efficient reading and writing of information by switching the Neel vector orientations to represent binary 0 and 1. Here, we develop a microscopic theory of the magnetoresistance effect in altermagnets and propose that magnetoresistance anisotropy can serve as an effective mechanism for the electrical readout of the Neel vector. Our theory describes a two-step charge-spin-charge conversion process governed by the interplay between spin splitting and spin Hall effects: a longitudinal electric field induces transverse drift spin currents, which induce significant spin accumulation at the boundaries, generating a diffusive spin current that is converted back into a longitudinal charge current. By switching the Neel vector, a substantial change in magnetoresistance, akin to giant magnetoresistance in ferromagnets, is realized, enabling an electrically readable altermagnetic memory. Our microscopic theory provides deeper insights into the fundamental physics of the magnetoresistance effect in altermagnets and offers valuable guidance for designing next-generation ultradense and ultrafast spintronic devices based on altermagnetism.