Reconfigurable neural spiking in bias field-free spin Hall nano oscillator

In this study, we theoretically investigate neuron-like spiking dynamics in an elliptic ferromagnet/heavy metal bilayer-based spin Hall nano oscillator (SHNO) in bias field-free condition, much suitable for practical realization of brain inspired computing schemes. We demonstrate regular periodic spiking with tunable frequency as well as the leaky-integrate-and-fire (LIF) behavior in a single SHNO by manipulating the pulse features of input current. The frequency of regular periodic spiking is tunable in a range of 0.5 GHz to 0.96 GHz (460 MHz bandwidth) through adjusting the magnitude of constant input dc current density. We further demonstrate the reconfigurability of spiking dynamics in response to a time varying input accomplished by continuously increasing the input current density as a linear function of time. Macrospin theory and micromagnetic simulation provide insights into the origin of bias field-free auto-oscillation and the spiking phenomena in our SHNO. In addition, we discuss how the shape anisotropy of the elliptic ferromagnet influence the bias field-free auto oscillation characteristics, including threshold current, frequency and transition from in-plane to out-of-plane precession. The SHNO operates below $10^{12} A/m^2$ input current density and exhibits a large auto-oscillation amplitude, ensuring high output power. We show that the threshold current density can be reduced by decreasing the ellipticity of the ferromagnet layer as well as enhancing the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. These findings highlight the potential of bias field-free elliptic SHNO in designing power-efficient spiking neuron-based neuromorphic hardware

Magnetization dynamics due to field interplay in field free spin Hall nano-oscillators

Spin Hall nano oscillators (SHNOs) have shown applications in unconventional computing schemes and broadband frequency generation in the presence of applied external magnetic field. However, under field-free conditions, the oscillation characteristics of SHNOs display a significant dependence on the effective field, which can be tuned by adjusting the constriction width, thereby presenting an intriguing area of study. Here we study the effect of nano constriction width on the magnetization dynamics in anisotropy assisted field free SHNOs. In uniaxial anisotropy-based field-free SHNOs, either the anisotropy field or the demagnetization field can dominate the magnetization dynamics depending on the constriction width. Our findings reveal distinct auto-oscillation characteristics in narrower constrictions with 20 nm and 30 nm constriction width compared to their wider counterpart with 100 nm width. The observed frequency shift variations with input current and constriction widths stem from the inherent nonlinearity of the system. The interplay between the B_demag and B_anis, coupled with changes in constriction width, yields rich dynamics and offers control over frequency tunability, auto oscillation amplitude, and threshold current. Notably, the spatial configuration of spin wave wells within the constriction undergoes transformations in response to changes in both constriction width and anisotropy. The findings highlight the significant influence of competing fields at the constriction on the field-free auto oscillations of SHNOs, with this impact intensifying as the constriction width is varied.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figure

Secondary spin current driven efficient THz spintronic emitters

Femtosecond laser-induced photoexcitation of ferromagnet (FM)/heavy metal (HM) heterostructures have attracted attention by emitting broadband terahertz frequencies. The phenomenon relies on the formation of ultrafast spin current, which is largely attributed to the direct photoexcitation of the FM layer. However, we reveal that during the process, the FM layer also experiences a secondary excitation led by the hot electrons from the HM layer that travel across the FM/HM interface and transfer additional energy in the FM. Thus, the generated secondary spins enhance the total spin current formation and lead to amplified spintronic terahertz emission. The results also emphasize the significance of the secondary spin current, which even exceeds the primary spin currents when FM/HM heterostructures with thicker HM are used. An analytical model is developed to provide deeper insights into the microscopic processes within the individual layers, underlining the generalized ultrafast superdiffusive spin-transport mechanism.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure

Unconventional spin polarization at Argon ion milled SrTiO3 Interfaces

Interfacial two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at the perovskite-type oxide, such as SrTiO3, has attracted significant attention due to its properties of ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and its potential application in oxide-based low-power consumption electronics. Recent studies have investigated spin-to-charge conversion at the STO interface with different materials, which could affect the efficiency of this 2DEG interface. In this report, we presented an Ar^+ ion milling method to create a 2DEG at STO directly by inducing oxygen vacancies. To quantify the spin-to-charge conversion of this interface, we measured the angular-dependent spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) spectra, revealing an unconventional spin polarization at the interface of Argon ion-milled STO and NiFe. Furthermore, a micromagnetic simulation for angular-dependent spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) has been performed, confirming the large unconventional spin polarization at the interface

Spin Pumping in Asymmetric Fe50Pt50/Cu/Fe20Ni80 Trilayer Structure

Herein, spin transport dynamics across asymmetric Fe50Pt50/Cu/Fe20Ni80 soft‐magnetic trilayer structure is reported and thereby modulation of magnetic parameters including damping and effective field is determined by means of the angular dependence of broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements. At distinct precession of individual magnetic layer, spin‐pumping is found to be prevalent with expected linewidth increase. Mutual precession for wide range of resonance configuration reveals a collective reduction in anisotropy field of around 200 mT for both Fe50Pt50 and Fe20Ni80 systems. Subsequent observation of no‐excess interface damping shows the possible control of spin‐pumping effect by tuning the net flow of spin‐current in a multilayer structure. These experimental findings have significance for microwave devices that require tunable anisotropy field in magnetic multilayers

Room temperature charge-to-spin conversion from q-2DEG at SrTiO3-based interfaces

Interfacial two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), especially the SrTiO3-based ones at the unexpected interface of insulators, have emerged to be a promising candidate for efficient charge-spin current interconversion. In this article, to gain insight into the mechanism of the charge-spin current interconversion at the oxide-based 2DEG, we focused on conducting interfaces between insulating SrTiO3 and two types of aluminium-based amorphous insulators, namely SrTiO3/AlN and SrTiO3/Al2O3, and estimated their charge-spin conversion efficiency, {\theta}_cs. The two types of amorphous insulators were selected to explicitly probe the overlooked contribution of oxygen vacancy to the {\theta}_cs. We proposed a mechanism to explain results of spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) measurements and developed an analysis protocol to reliably estimate the {\theta}_cs of the oxide based 2DEG. The resultant {\theta}_cs/t, where t is the thickness of the 2DEG, were estimated to be 0.244 nm-1 and 0.101 nm-1 for the SrTiO3/AlN and SrTiO3/Al2O3, respectively, and they are strikingly comparable to their crystalline counterparts. Furthermore, we also observe a large direct current modulation of resonance linewidth in SrTiO3/AlN samples, confirming its high {\theta}_cs and attesting an oxygen-vacancy-enabled charge-spin conversion. Our findings emphasize the defects' contribution to the charge-spin interconversion, especially in the oxide-based low dimensional systems, and provide a way to create and enhance charge-spin interconversion via defect engineering

Dense plasma irradiated platinum with improved spin Hall effect

The impurity incorporation in host high-spin orbit coupling materials like platinum has shown improved charge-to-spin conversion by modifying the up-spin and down-spin electron trajectories by bending or skewing them in opposite directions. This enables efficient generation, manipulation, and transport of spin currents. In this study, we irradiate the platinum with non-focus dense plasma to incorporate the oxygen ion species. We systematically analyze the spin Hall angle of the oxygen plasma irradiated Pt films using spin torque ferromagnetic resonance. Our results demonstrate a 2.4 times enhancement in the spin Hall effect after plasma treatment of Pt as compared to pristine Pt. This improvement is attributed to the introduction of disorder and defects in the Pt lattice, which enhances the spin-orbit coupling and leads to more efficient charge-to-spin conversion without breaking the spin-orbit torque symmetries. Our findings offer a new method of dense plasma-based modification of material for the development of advanced spintronic devices based on Pt and other heavy metals

Disentanglement of intrinsic and extrinsic side-jump scattering induced spin Hall effect in N-implanted Pt

The rapidly evolving utilization of spin Hall effect (SHE) arising from spin-orbit coupling in 5d transition metals and alloys have made giant strides in the development of designing low-power, robust and non-volatile magnetic memory. Recent studies, on incorporating non-metallic lighter elements such as oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur into 5d transition metals, have shown an enhancement in damping-like torque efficiency {\theta}_DL due to the modified SHE, but the mechanism behind this enhancement is not clear. In this paper, we study {\theta}_DL at different temperatures (100-293 K) to disentangle the intrinsic and extrinsic side-jump scattering induced spin Hall effect in N-implanted Pt. We observe a crossover of intrinsic to extrinsic side-jump mechanism as the implantation dose increases from 2*10^16 ions/cm2 to 1*10^17 ions/cm2. A sudden decrease in the intrinsic spin Hall conductivity is counterbalanced by the increase in the side-jump induced SHE efficiency. These results conclude that studying {\theta}_DL as a function of implantation dose, and also as a function of temperature, is important to understand the physical mechanism contributing to SHE, which has so far been unexplored in incorporating non-metallic element in 5d transition metals

Ultrafast photo-thermal switching of terahertz spin currents

Dissipationless and scattering-free spin-based terahertz electronics is the futuristic technology for energy-efficient information processing. Femtosecond light pulse provides an ideal pathway for exciting the ferromagnet (FM) out-of-equilibrium, causing ultrafast demagnetization and superdiffusive spin transport at sub-picosecond timescale, giving rise to transient terahertz radiation. Concomitantly, light pulses also deposit thermal energy at short timescales, suggesting the possibility of abrupt change in magnetic anisotropy of the FM that could cause ultrafast photo-thermal switching (PTS) of terahertz spin currents. Here, a single light pulse induced PTS of the terahertz spin current manifested through the phase reversal of the emitted terahertz photons is demonstrated. The switching of the transient spin current is due to the reversal of the magnetization state across the energy barrier of the FM layer. This demonstration opens a new paradigm for on-chip spintronic devices enabling ultralow-power hybrid electronics and photonics fueled by the interplay of charge, spin, thermal, and optical signals