Voltage control of magnetic skyrmions: energy efficient memory, neuromorphic computing and quantum control of spin qubits

Jayasimha Atulasimha

Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Electrical and Computer Engineering

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.

Electrical field control, for example voltage control of magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) manipulation, of fixed skyrmions can lead to small footprint nanomagnetic memory [1, 2]. This talk will focus on experimental demonstration of VCMA induced nonvolatile creation and annihilation of skyrmions in an antiferromagnet/ferromagnet/oxide heterostructure film [1] followed by simulations to show the feasibility of skyrmion mediated ferromagnetic reversal of p-MTJs scaled to 20 nm lateral dimensions [2] that can switch in ~20 picoseconds. This intermediate skyrmion state provides a pathway for robust magnetization reversal with VCMA without the need for current or a magnetic field.

We will also discuss the application of such skyrmion devices for reservoir computing [3]. Finally, we discuss the possibility of tuning the frequency of the skyrmion oscillations to the Larmor frequency of the spins confined to a nanoscale volume to implement single-qubit quantum gates with fidelities approaching those of fault-tolerant quantum computing [4].

Fig.1. Annihilation of skyrmions by increasing perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and creation of skyrmions by decreasing PMA using VCMA. Source: Figure reproduced from Ref [1].
 

References (our group)

[1] Nature Electronics 3, 539, 2020;

[2] Scientific Reports,11, 20914 (2021)

[3] https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.13527

[4] https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.16720