Nonvolatile Reconfigurable Synthetic Antiferromagnetic Devices Induced by Spin-Orbit Torque for Multifunctional...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science

Background:

• Intelligent edge devices require compact, low-power hardware for diverse tasks.
• Traditional multi-chip solutions struggle with dynamic task switching and power efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a single reconfigurable device for both logic and learning tasks.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional multi-chip architectures for edge computing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a FeTb/Ru/Co synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) heterostructure.
• Modulation of input current amplitude to switch between operating modes.
• Utilizing spin-orbit torque (SOT) for magnetization reversal and conductance modulation.

Main Results:

• The device dynamically switches between saturation (>80 mA) and activation (<80 mA) regimes.
• Boolean logic operations (AND, NOR) are performed in the saturation regime via deterministic magnetization reversal.
• Synaptic plasticity is emulated in the activation regime through gradual, non-volatile conductance modulation.
• All operations are achieved without external magnetic fields due to SAF properties.

Conclusions:

• A single-device, dual-mode reconfigurable architecture is established.
• This architecture offers a new paradigm for high-density, low-power, multifunctional in-memory computing.
• The device shows promise for advancing adaptive edge computing chips.