RF signal detector and energy harvester based on a spin-torque diode with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical demonstration of a spintronic diode with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy that can detect RF signals and harvest energy efficiently without external magnetic bias, operating at frequencies below 250 MHz.

Contribution

It introduces a novel bias-free spintronic diode design with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy capable of RF detection and energy harvesting, supported by analytical theory.

Findings

Out-of-plane magnetization precession can be excited by RF signals below 250 MHz.

The device can convert RF power into DC with approximately 5% efficiency.

The analytical model aids in optimizing high-efficiency RF detectors and energy harvesters.

Abstract

We demonstrate theoretically that in a spintronic diode (SD), having a free magnetic layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the first and second order and no external bias magnetic field, the out-of-plane regime of magnetization precession can be excited by sufficiently large (exceeding a certain threshold) RF signals with the frequencies <~250 MHz. We also show that such a device can operate as a broadband energy harvester capable of converting incident RF power into a DC power with the conversion efficiency of ~5%. The developed analytical theory of the bias-free SD operation can be used for the optimization of high-efficiency RF detectors and energy harvesters based on SDs.