Due to their nonlinear properties, spin transfer nano-oscillators can easily adapt their frequency to external stimuli. This makes them interesting model systems to study the effects of synchronization and brings some opportunities to improve their m
icrowave characteristics in view of their applications in information and communication technologies and to design innovative computing architectures. So far, mutual synchronization of spin transfer nano-oscillators through propagating spin-waves and exchange coupling in a common magnetic layer has been demonstrated. Here we show that the dipolar interaction is also an efficient mechanism to synchronize neighbouring oscillators. We experimentally study a pair of vortex-based spin-transfer nano-oscillators, in which mutual synchronization can be achieved despite a significant frequency mismatch between oscillators. Importantly, the coupling efficiency is controlled by the magnetic configuration of the vortices, as confirmed by an analytical model highlighting the physics at play in the synchronization process as well as by micromagnetic simulations.
We investigate analytically and numerically the synchronization dynamics of dipolarly coupled vortex based Spin-Torque Nano Oscillators (STNO) with different pillar diameters. We identify the critical interpillar distances on which synchronization oc
curs as a function of their diameter mismatch. We obtain numerically a phase diagram showing the transition between unsynchronized and synchronized states and compare it to analytical predictions we make using Thiele approach. Our study demonstrates that for relatively small diameters differences the synchronization dynamics can be described qualitatively using Adler equation. However when the diameters difference increases significantly, the system becomes strongly non-Adlerian.
