Altermagnetism signatures found in Co₁/₄TaSe₂ for ultrafast memory

Physicists at the University of Central Florida have detected signatures of altermagnetism in the layered material Co₁/₄TaSe₂, a state combining properties of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Using ARPES, they observed split electronic bands with opposite spin polarizations, a route toward spintronics, ultrafast memory and energy-efficient electronics.

• Co₁/₄TaSe₂ is a transition-metal dichalcogenide with magnetic cobalt atoms between layers
• ARPES revealed energy-band splitting with opposite spin polarizations
• Altermagnets avoid stray magnetic fields unlike ferromagnets
• The findings were published in Nature Communications on August 20, 2026