Visualization of Fermi surface nesting in MnPd2In compound. Credit: U.S. Department of Energy Ames National Laboratory

Scientists at Ames National Laboratory, in collaboration with Indranil Das’s group at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (India), have found a surprising electronic feature in transitional metal-based compounds that could pave the way for a new class of spintronic materials for computing and memory technologies.

Spintronics, a field that harnesses the spin of electrons in addition to their charge, promises breakthroughs in technologies such as brain-like computers and memory devices that retain data without power.

The unexpected feature was found in Mn₂PdIn, a Heusler compound—a type of alloy valued for its tunable magnetic and electronic properties. These alloys can exhibit behaviors not seen in their individual elements, making them prime candidates for spintronic applications.

Key findings and their significance

The study, "Fermi Surface Nesting and Anomalous Hall Effect in Magnetically Frustrated Mn2PdIn," is published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Traditional electronic devices rely on the charge of electrons, while spintronics also harness their intrinsic spin, a quantum mechanical entity that carries magnetic information. The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is a useful spintronic phenomenon. It provides a way to read and control spin-based signals electrically.

Until now, the AHE has most often been observed in clean, single-crystal samples with large magnetic moments. Detecting a strong AHE in a polycrystalline material with a very low magnetic moment is rare and important because polycrystalline samples are easier to make and low-moment materials can operate with less energy.

Implications for future spintronic devices

"This was exactly our aim—to make a material with a very low magnetic moment that still produces a strong AHE," said Anis Biswas, staff scientist at Ames Lab.

"A lower magnetic moment means it takes less energy to manipulate spins, so this could lead to much more energy-efficient memory and other spintronic devices. It’s an important step toward practical, low-power functional materials."

Prashant Singh, a staff scientist at Ames Lab, explained that the effect comes from "Fermi-surface nesting," when parts of a material’s electronic structure line up in just the right way, causing the electrons to rearrange and produce novel behavior.

"By tuning the electronic structure, we were able to trigger this nesting and explain the anomalous Hall signal we saw," Singh said. "It’s rare to find this kind of feature in these materials, so uncovering it made the work especially exciting."

Yaroslav Mudryk, another scientist at Ames Lab, emphasized the significance of observing the anomalous Hall effect in a polycrystalline material. He also highlighted the collaborative spirit behind the discovery, noting the important contributions of early-career researchers.

"Ames Lab’s expertise in magnetism and electronic-structure research combined with our collaborators’ strength in investigating transport properties allowed us to understand these systems in a much more proactive and predictive way," said Mudryk.

More information: Afsar Ahmed et al, Fermi Surface Nesting and Anomalous Hall Effect in Magnetically Frustrated Mn2PdIn, Advanced Functional Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202513056

Citation: Rare Hall effect reveals design pathways for advanced spintronic materials (2025, December 23) retrieved 23 December 2025 from https://phys.org/news/2025-12-rare-hall-effect-reveals-pathways.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.