Dhritiman Bhattacharya

Acoustic-Wave-Induced Magnetization Switching of Magnetostrictive Nanomagnets from Single-Domain to Nonvolatile Vortex States

We report manipulation of the magnetic states of elliptical cobalt magnetostrictive nanomagnets (of nominal dimensions ~ 340 nm x 270 nm x 12 nm) delineated on bulk 128{\deg} Y-cut lithium niobate with Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) launched from interdigitated electrodes. Isolated nanomagnets that are initially magnetized to a single domain state with magnetization pointing along the major axis of the ellipse are driven into a vortex state by surface acoustic waves that modulate the stress anisotropy of these nanomagnets. The nanomagnets remain in the vortex state until they are reset by a strong magnetic field to the initial single domain state, making the vortex state non-volatile. This phenomenon is modeled and explained using a micromagnetic framework and could lead to the development of extremely energy efficient magnetization switching methodologies.We report experimental manipulation of the magnetic states of elliptical cobalt magnetostrictive nanomagnets (with nominal dimensions of ∼340 nm × 270 nm × 12 nm) delineated on bulk 128° Y-cut lithium niobate with acoustic waves (AWs) launched from interdigitated electrodes. Isolated nanomagnets (no dipole interaction with any other nanomagnet) that are initially magnetized with a magnetic field to a single-domain state with the magnetization aligned along the major axis of the ellipse are driven into a vortex state by acoustic waves that modulate the stress anisotropy of these nanomagnets. The nanomagnets remain in the vortex state until they are reset by a strong magnetic field to the initial single-domain state, making the vortex state nonvolatile. This phenomenon is modeled and explained using a micromagnetic framework and could lead to the development of extremely energy efficient magnetization switching methodologies for low-power computing applications.

Effect of Nanomagnet Geometry on Reliability, Energy Dissipation, and Clock Speed in Strain-Clocked DC-NML

Strain-clocked dipole-coupled nanomagnetic logic is an energy-efficient Boolean logic paradigm whose progress has been stymied by its propensity for high error rates. In an effort to mitigate this problem, we have studied the effect of nanomagnet geometry on error rates, focusing on elliptical and cylindrical geometries. We had previously reported that the out-of-plane excursion of the magnetization vector during switching creates a precessional torque that is responsible for high switching error probability in elliptical nanomagnet geometries. The absence of this torque in cylindrical magnets portends lower error rates, but our simulations show that the error rate actually does not improve significantly compared to elliptical magnets while the switching becomes unacceptably slow. Here, we show that dipole coupled nanomagnetic logic can offer relatively high reliability (switching error probability<10^-8), moderate clock speed (~ 100 MHz) and 2-3 orders of magnitude energy saving compared to CMOS devices, provided the shape anisotropy energy barrier of the magnet is increased to at least ~5.5 eV to allow engineering a stronger dipole coupling between neighboring nanomagnets.Strain-clocked dipole-coupled nanomagnetic logic (DC-NML) is an energy-efficient Boolean logic paradigm whose progress has been stymied by its propensity for high error rates. In an effort to mitigate this problem, we have studied the effect of nanomagnet geometry on error rates, focusing on elliptical and cylindrical geometries. We had previously reported that in elliptical nanomagnets, the out-of-plane excursion of the magnetization vector during switching creates a precessional torque that plays a dual role-it speeds up the switching, but is also responsible for the high switching error probability. The absence of this torque in cylindrical magnets should lower error rates, but our simulations show that the error rate actually does not improve significantly compared with elliptical magnets while the switching becomes unacceptably slow. Here, we show that DC-NML employing elliptical nanomagnets can offer relatively high reliability for NML (switching error probability <;

Voltage controlled core reversal of fixed magnetic skyrmions without a magnetic field.

10^{-8}

Incoherent magnetization dynamics in strain mediated switching of magnetostrictive nanomagnets

), moderate clock speed (

Skyrmion-Mediated Voltage-Controlled Switching of Ferromagnets for Reliable and Energy-Efficient Two-Terminal Memory

\sim 100

Energy efficient and fast reversal of a fixed skyrmion two-terminal memory with spin current assisted by voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy

MHz), and two to three orders of magnitude energy saving compared with CMOS devices, provided the shape anisotropy energy barrier of the nanomagnet is increased to at least

Polarized neutron reflectometry study of depth dependent magnetization variation in Co thin film due to strain transfer from PMN-PT substrate

\sim 5.5

An energy efficient memory device based on fixed magnetic skyrmions switched with an electric field

eV to allow engineering a stronger dipole coupling between neighboring nanomagnets.

Strain induced and spin torque induced switching of nanomagnets: Coherent or incoherent?

Using micromagnetic simulations we demonstrate core reversal of a fixed magnetic skyrmion by modulating the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of a nanomagnet with an electric field. We can switch reversibly between two skyrmion states and two ferromagnetic states, i.e. skyrmion states with the magnetization of the core pointing down/up and periphery pointing up/down, and ferromagnetic states with magnetization pointing up/down, by sequential increase and decrease of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The switching between these states is explained by the fact that the spin texture corresponding to each of these stable states minimizes the sum of the magnetic anisotropy, demagnetization, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) and exchange energies. This could lead to the possibility of energy efficient nanomagnetic memory and logic devices implemented with fixed skyrmions without using a magnetic field and without moving skyrmions with a current.

Energy-efficient switching of nanomagnets for computing: straintronics and other methodologies

Micromagnetic studies of the magnetization change in magnetostrictive nanomagnets subjected to stress are performed for nanomagnets of different sizes. The interplay between demagnetization, exchange and stress anisotropy energies is used to explain the rich physics of size-dependent magnetization dynamics induced by modulating stress anisotropy in planar nanomagnets. These studies have important implications for strain mediated ultralow energy magnetization control in nanomagnets and its application in energy-efficient nanomagnetic computing devices.