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arXiv · 2310.16909

Neuromorphic weighted sums with magnetic skyrmions

Tristan da Câmara Santa Clara Gomes·Yanis Sassi·Dédalo Sanz-Hernández·Sachin Krishnia·Sophie Collin·Marie-Blandine Martin·Pierre Seneor·Vincent Cros·Julie Grollier·Nicolas Reyren
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Abstract

Integrating magnetic skyrmions into neuromorphic computing could help improve hardware efficiency and computational power. However, developing a scalable implementation of the weighted sum of neuron signals - a core operation in neural networks - has remained a challenge. Here, we show that weighted sum operations can be performed in a compact, biologically-inspired manner by using the non-volatile and particle-like characteristics of magnetic skyrmions that make them easily countable and summable. The skyrmions are electrically generated in numbers proportional to an input with an efficiency given by a non-volatile weight. The chiral particles are then directed using localized current injections to a location where their presence is quantified through non-perturbative electrical measurements. Our experimental demonstration, which currently has two inputs, can be scaled to accommodate multiple inputs and outputs using a crossbar array design, potentially nearing the energy efficiency observed in biological systems.

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Tristan da Câmara Santa Clara Gomes, Yanis Sassi, Dédalo Sanz-Hernández, Sachin Krishnia, Sophie Collin, Marie-Blandine Martin, Pierre Seneor, Vincent Cros, Julie Grollier, Nicolas Reyren. 2023-10-25. Neuromorphic weighted sums with magnetic skyrmions. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-024-01303-z

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