Spin filtering with insulating altermagnets

Altermagnetic (AM) materials have recently attracted significant interest due to the non-relativistic momentum-dependent spin splitting of their electronic band structure which may be useful for antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics. So far, however, most research studies have been focused on AM metals which can be utilized in spintronic devices, such as AFM tunnel junctions (AFMTJs). At the same time, AM insulators have remained largely unexplored in the realm of AFM spintronics. Here, we propose to employ AM insulators (AMIs) as efficient spin-filter materials. By analyzing the complex band structure of rutile-type AMIs MF₂ (M = Fe, Co, Ni), we demonstrate that the evanescent states in these AMIs exhibit spin- and momentum-dependent decay rates resulting in a substantial momentum-dependent spin polarization of the tunneling current. Using a spin-filter tunneling model, we estimate a sizable TMR ratio of 150-170% in spin-filter magnetic tunnel junctions based on AMIs CoF₂ and NiF₂ when the Fermi energy is near the valence band maximum. Our results demonstrate that AMIs provide a viable alternative to conventional ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic spin-filter materials, potentially advancing the development of next-generation AFM spintronic devices.