Dipolar coupling between nanopillar spin valves and magnetic quantum cellular automata arrays

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates magnetostatic coupling between nanopillar spin valves and nanomagnet arrays, providing insights for integrating magnetic quantum cellular automata with electronic devices.

Contribution

It experimentally shows multilayer spin valves can couple with nanomagnets, advancing the design of MQCA-based logic devices and their integration into electronic circuits.

Findings

Nanopillar spin valves couple with nanomagnet arrays.

Magnetic force microscopy confirms coupling with the hard layer.

Statistical analysis reveals array behavior and antiferromagnetic order.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate magnetostatic coupling between a nanopillar pseudo spin valve structure and a linear array of dipole coupled Permalloy nanomagnets. Using magnetic force microscopy, we study the interaction between the spin valve and the first element of the array, and present evidence that the nanomagnet couples with the hard layer of the spin valve for two spin valves with distinctly different composition. Our study includes a statistical analysis of antiferromagnetic order within the linear array, and provides insight into the range of behavior that these arrays can display. These results bear directly on the design of magnetic quantum cellular automata (MQCA) logic devices, showing that multilayer devices can couple to simple nanomagnets. Redesigning the hard layer of the magnetoresistive devices would make them operational as an electronic input that will allow integration of MQCA networks in complex electronic circuitry.