Orbital-Engineered Altermagnetism in Two-Dimensional Square Lattices

Abstract: Altermagnetism is characterized by even-parity spin-momentum locking in spin-split bands despite zero net magnetization and negligible spin-orbit coupling. Here, we formulate a microscopic framework that links altermagnetic splitting in two-dimensional (2D) square lattices to orbital character. Using tight-binding models and symmetry analysis, we show that, within the minimal antiferromagnetic square-lattice model, single-orbital lattices remain spin-degenerate, whereas interwoven dual-orbital configurations lift Kramers degeneracy and generate d-wave or g-wave altermagnetic states. The spin-splitting originates from orbital anisotropy in the same-spin hopping channels. Guided by this framework, we identify M-TCNX (M = Cr, Mn, Fe; TCNX = TCNE, TCNQ) metal-organic framework monolayers with mcm topology as candidate g-wave altermagnets. Our work provides a symmetry-explicit wavefunction-level design framework for orbital-controlled altermagnetism in 2D square lattices.