# Researchers demonstrate atomic-scale spin sensing in quantum material

_Published Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 12:13 PM EDT · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

Researchers demonstrated a spin-sensitive scanning tunnelling microscopy probe that provides atomic-scale evidence of two-dimensional d-wave altermagnetism on the surface of KV2Se2O, a Nature paper reports. Altermagnets have electronic states with alternating spin polarization despite having zero net magnetization.

The probe uses helical edge modes of α-Bi4Br4 to distinguish spin responses. Atomic mapping, field-dependent spectroscopy and interference imaging supplied converging evidence across real and momentum space. The findings establish a demonstrated route for atomic-scale spin sensing in quantum materials, with the observed magnetic order located in the material's surface layer.

## Sources

- [Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-11257-1)

---
Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/fkgj4e66XAR89G6B3uDueV
Published: 2026-10-13T16:13:37.828Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-13T19:01:57.761Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)