No Arabic abstract
Nanomagnetic logic, which makes use of arrays of dipolar-coupled single domain nanomagnets for computation, holds promise as a low power alternative to traditional computation with CMOS. Beyond the use of nanomagnets for Boolean logic, nanomagnets can also be exploited for non-deterministic computational schemes such as edge detection in images and for solving the traveling salesman problem. Here, we demonstrate the potential of arrangements of thermally-active nanomagnets based on artificial spin ice for both deterministic and probabilistic computation. This is achieved by engineering structures that follow particular thermal relaxation pathway consisting of a sequence of reorientations of magnet moments from an initial field-set state to a final low energy output state. Additionally, we demonstrate that it is possible to tune the probability of attaining a particular final low-energy state, and therefore the likelihood of a given output, by modifying the intermagnet distance. Finally, we experimentally demonstrate a scheme to connect several computational building blocks for complex computation.
We study single-electron tunneling (SET) characteristics in crystalline PbS/InP junctions, that exhibit single-electron Coulomb-blockade staircases along with memory and memory-fading behaviors. This gives rise to both short-term and long-term plasticities as well as a convenient non-linear response, making this structure attractive for neuromorphic computing applications. For further insights into this prospect, we predict typical behaviors relevant to the field, obtained by an extrapolation of experimental data in the SET framework. The estimated minimum energy required for a synaptic operation is in the order of 1 fJ, while the maximum frequency of operation can reach the MHz range.
We present flatspin, a novel simulator for systems of interacting mesoscopic spins on a lattice, also known as artificial spin ice (ASI). Our magnetic switching criteria enables ASI dynamics to be captured in a dipole model. Through GPU acceleration, flatspin can simulate realistic dynamics of millions of magnets within practical time frames. We demonstrate flatspins versatility through the reproduction of a diverse set of established experimental results from the literature. In particular, magnetization details of pinwheel ASI during field-driven reversal have been reproduced, for the first time, by a dipole model. The simulation framework enables quick exploration and investigation of new ASI geometries and properties at unprecedented speeds.
The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system - square artificial spin ice - we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Using time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.
We study the interplay of electron and photon spin in non-reciprocal materials. Traditionally, the primary mechanism to design non-reciprocal photonic devices has been magnetic fields in conjunction with magnetic oxides, such as iron garnets. In this work, we present an alternative paradigm that allows tunability and reconfigurability of the non-reciprocity through spintronic approaches. The proposed design uses the high-spin-orbit coupling of a narrow-band gap semiconductor (InSb) with ferromagnetic dopants. A combination of the intrinsic and a gate-applied electric field gives rise to a strong external Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC) in a magnetically doped InSb film. The RSOC which is gate alterable is shown to adjust the magnetic permeability tensor via the electron g-factor of the medium. We use electronic band structure calculations (k$cdot$p theory) to show the gate-adjustable RSOC manifest itself in the non-reciprocal coefficient of photon fields via shifts in the Kerr and Faraday rotations. In addition, we show that photon spin properties of dipolar emitters placed in the vicinity of a non-reciprocal electromagnetic environment is distinct from reciprocal counterparts. The Purcell factor (F$_{p}$) of a spin-polarized emitter (right-handed circular dipole) is significantly enhanced due to a larger g-factor while a left-handed dipole remains essentially unaffected. Our work can lead to electron spin controlled reconfigurable non-reciprocal photonic devices.
We investigate experimentally magnetic frustration effects in thermally active artificial kagome spin ice. Starting from a paramagnetic state, the system is cooled down below the Curie temperature of the constituent material. The resulting magnetic configurations show that our arrays are locally brought into the so-called spin ice 2 phase, predicted by at-equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations and characterized by a magnetic charge crystal embedded in a disordered kagome spin lattice. However, by studying our arrays on a larger scale, we find unambiguous signature of an out-of-equilibrium physics. Comparing our findings with numerical simulations, we interpret the efficiency of our thermalization procedure in terms of kinetic pathways that the system follows upon cooling and which drive the arrays into degenerate low-energy manifolds that are hardly accessible otherwise.