Quantum geometric planar magnetotransport: a probe for magnetic geometry in altermagnets

Abstract: Nonlinear and nonreciprocal transport phenomena provide a direct probe of band quantum geometry in noncentrosymmetric magnetic materials, such as the nonlinear Hall effect induced by the quantum metric dipole. In altermagnets, a recently discovered class of even-parity collinear magnets with $C_n\mathcal{T}$ symmetry, conventional second-order responses are prohibited by an emergent $C_{2z}$ symmetry. In this work, we demonstrate that an in-plane magnetic field lifts this prohibition, inducing a planar magnetotransport that directly probes the intrinsic quantum geometry and the distinctive $C_n\mathcal{T}$ nature of altermagnetic orders. We show that the field-dependent quantum geometric susceptibility generates versatile planar magnetotransport, including the planar Hall effects and nonreciprocal responses. Our work establishes distinctive signatures of altermagnetism in linear and nonlinear magnetotransport, providing a general framework for measuring quantum geometric responses and probing altermagnetic order.