Efficient Spin-to-Charge Conversion via Altermagnetic Spin Splitting Effect in Antiferromagnet RuO2

The relativistic spin Hall effect and inverse spin Hall effect enable the efficient generation and detection of spin current. Recently, a nonrelativistic altermagnetic spin splitting effect (ASSE) has been theoretically and experimentally reported to generate time-reversal-odd spin current with controllable spin polarization in antiferromagnet RuO2. The inverse effect, electrical detection of spin current via ASSE, still remains elusive. Here we show the spin-to-charge conversion stemming from ASSE in RuO2 by the spin Seebeck effect measurements. Unconventionally, the spin Seebeck voltage can be detected even when the injected spin current is polarized along the directions of either the voltage channel or the thermal gradient, indicating the successful conversion of x-and z -spin polarizations into the charge current. The crystal axes-dependent conversion efficiency further demonstrates that the nontrivial spin-to-charge conversion in RuO2 is ascribed to ASSE, which is distinct from the magnetic or antiferromagnetic inverse spin Hall effects. Our finding not only advances the emerging research landscape of altermagnetism, but also provides a promising pathway for the spin detection.