Spin-dependent quasiparticle lifetimes in altermagnets

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Authors: Kristoffer Leraand, Kristian Mæland, Asle Sudbø
Cited by: 3
References: 57

Abstract

We investigate many-body effects on the spin-split electron bands in altermagnets by computing the electron self-energy arising from interactions with magnons, phonons, and hybridized magnon-phonon modes. These interactions lead to band broadening, which can obscure the intrinsic spin-splitting in spectroscopic measurements. We consider a $d$-wave Lieb lattice altermagnet as a representative example. Our results reveal that the spin-splitting remains spectroscopically resolvable and provide theoretical estimates of lifetime effects relevant for experimental detection. For electron-magnon coupling, we find a distinct difference between spectral function broadening for up and down spins close to the Fermi surface, which is not present in the case of electron-phonon coupling. We relate it to the spin splitting of the magnon modes in altermagnets. The results, including magneto-elastic coupling, are very similar to the pure magnon case. This provides insights into quasiparticle dynamics in altermagnets and contributes to the broader understanding of many-body interactions in spin-split systems. By including the temperature dependence of the self-energies, we also quantify how thermal fluctuations influence the broadening of the electronic states.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Topological Materials and Phenomena Magnetic properties of thin films Quantum and electron transport phenomena

Publication details

Journal / source
Physical review. B./Physical review. B
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Volume
113
Issue
11
Publication date
25 February 2026
Language
EN