Easy-plane spin Hall nano-oscillators as spiking neurons for neuromorphic computing

Abstract

Ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions can serve as integrate-and-fire neurons, communicating via spin-wave pulses analogous to neural spikes. The nanoconstriction geometry leads to easy-plane oscillators which manifest phase dynamics analogous to damped driven oscillators. The authors propose a sample geometry where nanoconstrictions undergo phase slips and produce pulses of spin-wave signals when triggered by a small spin torque. They show with the help of macrospin modeling and micromagnetic simulations that these spin-wave pulses can excite other nanoconstriction neurons and that they possess the basic fan-in and fan-out capability required for neuromorphic systems.