No Arabic abstract
We study the agility of current-tunable oscillators based on a magnetic vortex orbiting around a point contact in spin-valves. Theory predicts frequency-tuning by currents occurs at constant orbital radius, so an exceptional agility is anticipated. To test this, we have inserted an oscillator in a microwave interferometer to apply abrupt current variations while time resolving its emission. Using frequency shift keying, we show that the oscillator can switch between two stabilized frequencies differing by 25% in less than ten periods. With a wide frequency tunability and a good agility, such oscillators possess desirable figures of merit for modulation-based rf applications.
Low frequency noise close to the carrier remains little explored in spin torque nano oscillators. However, it is crucial to investigate as it limits the oscillators frequency stability. This work addresses the low offset frequency flicker noise of a TMR-based spin-torque vortex oscillator in the regime of large amplitude steady oscillations. We first phenomenologically expand the nonlinear auto-oscillator theory aiming to reveal the properties of this noise. We then present a thorough experimental study of the oscillators $1/f$ flicker noise and discuss the results based on the theoretical predictions. Hereby, we connect the oscillators nonlinear dynamics with the concept of flicker noise and furthermore refer to the influence of a standard $1/f$ noise description based on the Hooge formula, taking into account the non-constant magnetic oscillation volume, which contributes to the magnetoresistance.
We experimentally demonstrate generation of coherent propagating magnons in ultra-thin magnetic-insulator films by spin-orbit torque induced by dc electric current. We show that this challenging task can be accomplished by utilizing magnetic-insulator films with large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We demonstrate simple and flexible spin-orbit torque devices, which can be used as highly efficient nanoscale sources of coherent propagating magnons for insulator-based spintronic applications.
We present an experimental study of vortex dynamics in magnetic nanocontacts based on pseudo spin valves comprising the Co$_2$MnGe Heusler compound. The films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy, where precise stoichiometry control and tailored stacking order allowed us to define the bottom ferromagnetic layer as the reference layer, with minimal coupling between the free and reference layers. 20-nm diameter nanocontacts were fabricated using a nano-indentation technique, leading to self-sustained gyration of the vortex generated by spin-transfer torques above a certain current threshold. By combining frequency- and time-domain measurements, we show that different types of spin-transfer induced dynamics related to different modes associated to the magnetic vortex configuration can be observed, such as mode hopping, mode coexistence and mode extinction appear in addition to the usual gyration mode.
We present an experimental study of spin-torque driven vortex self-oscillations in magnetic nanocontacts. We find that above a certain threshold in applied currents, the vortex gyration around the nanocontact is modulated by relaxation oscillations, which involve periodic reversals of the vortex core. This modulation leads to the appearance of commensurate but also more interestingly here, incommensurate states, which are characterized by devils staircases in the modulation frequency. We use frequency- and time-domain measurements together with advanced time-series analyses to provide experimental evidence of chaos in incommensurate states of vortex oscillations, in agreement with theoretical predictions.
In the present study, we investigate a dynamical mode beyond the gyrotropic (G) motion of a magnetic vortex core in a confined magnetic disk of a nano-pillar spin torque nano oscillator. It is characterized by the in-plane circular precession associated to a C-shaped magnetization distribution. We show a transition between G and C-state mode which is found to be purely stochastic in a current-controllable range. Supporting our experimental findings with micromagnetic simulations, we believe that the results provide novel opportunities for the dynamic and stochastic control of STOs, which could be interesting to be implemented for example in neuromorphic networks.