2026/07/23 by Kim-Khuong Huynh, Michael Anthony Quintero, Martin Klanjšek +8
#cond-mat.str-el
We report the synthesis methodology, structure, and intrinsic properties of ultra-high quality single crystals of MnTe, an archetypal altermagnet. The crystals, obtained from self-flux method, are nearly free from crystal imperfections and disproportionate chemical compositions as seen by various investigation methods. In measurements under quasi free-standing configuration minimizing stress induced effects, the crystals exhibit complex and anisotropic domain kinetics in both superheating and supercooling regimes around the altermagnetic transition at TN = 310 K. An Anderson insulating state is observed below TMI≈ 150 K with a carrier density of about 1.6× 1017 cm-3, being sharply contrast to metallic states usually seen in Te-deficit samples. Nevertheless, hallmarks of altermagnetism, anomalous Hall effect and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal, are robust in this intrinsic limit, however with significantly reduced magnitudes.