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Florin Ciubotaru

Publications and source records attributed to Florin Ciubotaru.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Frequency-Division Multiplexing in Magnonic Waveguides

Frequency-division multiplexing is a key functionality for wave-based information processing, enabling multiple information channels to coexist within the same physical medium. Here, we experimentally investigate spin-wave multiplexing in a CoFeB waveguide using all-electrical excitation and detection. Two independently generated microwave signals are simultaneously coupled into the same spin-wave waveguide through inductive antennas and characterized using broadband vector network analyzer measurements. The transmission spectra obtained under single-channel and multiplexed operation exhibit excellent agreement, demonstrating that spin waves with different frequencies and wavelengths propagate simultaneously without measurable interaction in the linear regime. The observation is confirmed using both dual-sweep and sweep-plus-single-tone excitation schemes. A theoretical analysis based on linear superposition and phase-sensitive detection explains the absence of observable inter-channel interference for independent microwave sources. Micromagnetic simulations further confirm that the amplitudes and wavevectors of the individual spin-wave modes remain unchanged during co-propagation, demonstrating the absence of interaction over the entire propagation distance. The results provide direct experimental evidence that independent spin-wave channels can coexist in a single waveguide and support the implementation of frequency-division multiplexing in future magnonic computing and microwave signal-processing architectures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Bulk-mediated reflection of chirality-protected surface spin waves

Surface spin waves of the Damon-Eshbach type exhibit intrinsically nonreciprocal transport properties with a chiral dynamical field structure that localizes counterpropagating waves at opposite film surfaces. Such chirality has been predicted to suppress direct backscattering in thin films within frequency ranges free of bulk modes. However, how chirality influences reflection in thicker three-dimensional magnetic media, where a dense spectrum of bulk excitations overlaps with surface waves, remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that, in micrometer-thick yttrium iron garnet films, reflection of the chiral Damon-Eshbach wave from the boundary of the magnetic medium is accompanied by excitation of spatially localized thickness-quantized bulk modes, whereas reciprocal backward-volume waves reflect nearly elastically. Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy, infrared thermography, and micromagnetic simulations reveal standing bulk excitations at the reflecting boundary and quantify the associated magnon energy accumulation and dissipation. These results identify bulk-mode excitations as the physical pathway enabling reversal of chirally localized surface waves in thick films, thereby defining the limits of chirality-based backscattering immunity and providing a general framework for wave transport in nonreciprocal magnetic media.

cond-mat.other↗

Correlation between structural and magnetic properties of epitaxial YIG films by pulsed laser deposition

In this study, we investigate the relationships between film growth conditions, crystalline microstructure, and magnetic properties of epitaxial Yttrium Iron Garnet (Y$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$, YIG) thin films, deposited on Gallium Gadolinium Garnet (Ga$_3$Gd$_5$O$_{12}$, GGG). A direct correlation was observed between the residual epitaxial strain, bulk magnetic properties like saturation magnetization and magnetic damping), and the performance of spin-wave transmission devices based on these films. This correlation offers a pathway for a simplified, rapid assessment of YIG film quality, avoiding the need for complex time-consuming characterization techniques. In addition, we report a comprehensive investigation into the influence of pulsed-laser deposition parameters, including deposition temperature, pressure, laser fluence, frequency, and annealing conditions. Through systematic deposition optimization, state-of-the-art YIG films exhibiting ultralow magnetic damping could be obtained, which is critical for high-performance spintronic applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Composite based magnetoelectric scaled devices with large output voltages

In this work, we investigate the differential voltage generation arising from the direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect in nanoscale composite devices upon magnetization rotation from the magnetic ground state to an out-of-plane (OOP) configuration. These composite devices comprise a magnetostrictive ferromagnetic layer and a piezoelectric layer, mechanically coupled through strain. Using a finite element method (FEM) model, developed in COMSOL Multiphysics, we provide a comprehensive analysis of strain transfer mechanisms and resulting voltage generations. Here, the influence of dimensional and material parameters on the device performance is systematically examined. Our results indicate the presence of two distinct strain transfer mechanisms at scaled dimensions, where the device aspect ratio and the magnetic state both determine the dominant mechanism influencing the strain transfer to the piezoelectric layer. Moreover, we observed that the influence of surface clamping diminished as the pillar area was reduced. We also saw that the strain transfer to the piezoelectric layer can be enhanced by using stiffer electrodes or clamping layers. Lastly, we concluded that magnetostrictive materials with large magnetoelastic coupling constants or large Poisson ratios may strongly increase the output voltage at small dimensions. This study provides insight in the dimension and material selection when designing scaled ME pillars, with the aim of generating large output voltages. We showed that output voltages exceeding 200 mV can be achieved in scaled devices, underscoring the potential of these structures for integration into microelectronic applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Gilbert Damping Parameters of Epitaxially-Stabilized Iron Gallium Thin Films from Ferromagnetic Resonance

Iron gallium (FeGa) alloys are excellent rare-earth-free magnetostrictors. Through epitaxial stabilization, the disordered A2 alloy can be extended from 19% to 30% gallium resulting in a magnetostrictive coefficient almost twice than that which is seen in rare earth magnetostrictors like SmFe2. In a composite magnetoelectric structure, this makes epitaxially-stabilized iron gallium a key material for energy-efficient beyond CMOS technologies. The energy dissipation and speed of magnetoelectric switching, however, is affected by the magnetic resonance frequency and damping. Here we report the evolution of the ferromagnetic resonance and key materials parameters (magnetic anisotropy, magnetic damping, and magnetostriction coefficient) for 70 nm thick epitaxially-stabilized single crystal A2 FeGa films beyond 19% Ga. Using flip chip ferromagnetic resonance (1-14 GHz), we find that the Gilbert damping parameter spans the range of 0.09-0.16 and decreases as the Ga concentration increases. This correlates an increasing magnetoelastic coupling with a reduction in the Gilbert damping. We find that the effective damping is a mix of contributions from the intrinsic magnon-phonon scattering and other scattering/dissipation mechanisms, with the latter being dominant especially at high Ga composition. Our results provide insight into the mechanism of magnetic relaxation in metastable high magnetostriction materials and potential switching behavior of composite magnetoelectrics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Nonlinear Strain-Mediated Magnetoelectric Coupling in Sub-Microscale Ni/BPZT Thin-Film Devices

Strain-mediated magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures enable electric-field control of magnetism and are promising for ultra-low-power spintronic logic. Yet achieving spatially selective, low-voltage control in thin films and quantifying ME coupling across the full ferroelastic loop remains challenging. Here, we investigate sub-micrometer Ni/BPZT thin-film devices with laterally patterned gates that localize in-plane strain beneath the Ni stripe and modulate its magnetization. We use anisotropic magnetoresistance to measure magnetization changes across the ferroelastic loop under different magnetic bias fields. Combined with Multiphysics strain simulations and micromagnetic modeling, this provides a quantitative framework that captures the convolution of ferroelastic and magnetoelastic nonlinearities and provides critical insight for device design, while enabling multi-state, bias-field-free magnetization control for non-conventional computing. The extracted coupling coefficient in linear range is 1.3 mT/V across a 700 nm gap, with a clear pathway to improving voltage efficiency through device scaling, establishing a scalable CMOS-compatible platform for energy-efficient spintronic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

Modelling spin-wave interference with electromagnetic leakage in micron-scaled spin-wave transducers

Utilization of spin-wave transducers for radio-frequency signal processing provides significant potential due to intrinsic tunability, scalability and nonlinearity. However, such components can exhibit passband ripples diminishing their operation and functionality. Here, we experimentally identify the electromagnetic crosstalk (EM) as a major source of passband ripples and provide a simple analytic model to predict the impact on device operation. The results are in good agreement with the experimental observation. In addition, we test multiple transducer geometries to identify operational regimes and minimize the EM impact. Finally, the effect of nonlinear device operation on the passband ripples is addressed, which is of relevance for the exploitation of the spin-waves intrinsic nonlinear traits.

physics.app-ph↗

Charge accumulation by Direct Magnetoelectric Effect in ScAlN/Ni Nanoscale Devices

This work investigates the direct magnetoelectric effect in thin-film lab scale composite heterostructures comprising a 100 nm thick piezoelectric Sc0.4Al0.6N (ScAlN) and a magnetostrictive Ni with 100-200 nm thickness, fabricated on Si/SiO2 substrates. The films are patterned into square pillar arrays with lateral dimensions down to 500 nm x 500 nm. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) measurements reveal in-plane magnetic anisotropy in the Ni films, attributed to strain induced by the underlying ScAlN layer. Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) magnetometry imaging confirms the formation of magnetic domains at remanence in polycrystalline Ni when patterned in sub-microscale structures. Capacitance measurements reveal a ScAlN dielectric constant at the device level consistent with unpatterned thin films, confirming the preservation of electrical integrity at the sub-microscale. The direct magnetoelectric effect is demonstrated through quasi-static charge measurements under applied out-of-plane DC magnetic fields, yielding equivalent open-circuit voltages up to 1.17 mV.

physics.app-ph↗

Power Transfer in Magnetoelectric Resonators: a Combined Analytical and Finite Element Study

We present an analytical model for power transfer in a magnetoelectric film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) comprising a piezoelectric-magnetostrictive bilayer. The model describes the power flow between the elastic and magnetic systems, quantifying the transduction efficiency when the FBAR operates as a magnetic transducer. By applying the model to example systems using piezoelectric ScAlN and magnetostrictive CoFeB, Ni, or Terfenol-D layers, we demonstrate the potential for achieving high efficiencies in magnetoelectric transducers, rendering them ideal for efficient ferromagnetic resonance excitation. The validity of the model's assumptions is confirmed through comparison with a numerical finite element resonator model in COMSOL\texttrademark. The finite element model further enables a comprehensive study of the resonator's dynamic behavior, including transient and steady-state regimes, and the identification of resonant frequencies within the system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Self Biased Integrated Magnonic Device

In the race towards "beyond 6G" telecommunication platforms, magnonics emerges as a promising solution due to its wide tunability within the FR3 band (7-24 GHz). So far, however, the need for an external magnetic bias field to allow the coherent excitation of spin waves has been a major bottleneck. Conventional bulky electromagnets are power-intensive and challenging to integrate on-chip, restricting magnonic applications largely to academic research. Here, we present the first demonstration of a standalone, tunable magnonic device featuring all-electric input and output, fully integrated on a silicon substrate with a compact footprint of 100 x 150 $μ$m. The device consists of a CoFeB waveguide equipped with two radio frequency antennas, flanked by a symmetric configuration of T-shaped magnetic flux concentrators and rectangular SmCo permanent micromagnets. By varying the distance D between the flux concentrators and the permanent magnets from 0 to 12 $μ$m, the transverse bias field can be tuned from 20.5 mT to 11 mT, respectively. This variation directly modulates the dispersion relation of Damon-Eshbach spin wave modes in the CoFeB waveguide. In these proof-of-concept devices, the spin wave frequency band ranges from 3 to 8 GHz, with precise phase shift tuning of up to 120 degrees at 6 GHz achieved by varying D within the 0-8 $μ$m range. The operational frequency band could even be pushed to higher frequencies through optimized micromagnet engineering.

physics.app-ph↗

Roadmap for Unconventional Computing with Nanotechnology

In the "Beyond Moore's Law" era, with increasing edge intelligence, domain-specific computing embracing unconventional approaches will become increasingly prevalent. At the same time, adopting a variety of nanotechnologies will offer benefits in energy cost, computational speed, reduced footprint, cyber resilience, and processing power. The time is ripe for a roadmap for unconventional computing with nanotechnologies to guide future research, and this collection aims to fill that need. The authors provide a comprehensive roadmap for neuromorphic computing using electron spins, memristive devices, two-dimensional nanomaterials, nanomagnets, and various dynamical systems. They also address other paradigms such as Ising machines, Bayesian inference engines, probabilistic computing with p-bits, processing in memory, quantum memories and algorithms, computing with skyrmions and spin waves, and brain-inspired computing for incremental learning and problem-solving in severely resource-constrained environments. These approaches have advantages over traditional Boolean computing based on von Neumann architecture. As the computational requirements for artificial intelligence grow 50 times faster than Moore's Law for electronics, more unconventional approaches to computing and signal processing will appear on the horizon, and this roadmap will help identify future needs and challenges. In a very fertile field, experts in the field aim to present some of the dominant and most promising technologies for unconventional computing that will be around for some time to come. Within a holistic approach, the goal is to provide pathways for solidifying the field and guiding future impactful discoveries.

cs.ET↗

Spin Wave Threshold Gate

While Spin Waves (SW) interaction provides natural support for low power Majority (MAJ) gate implementations many hurdles still exists on the road towards the realization of practically relevant SW circuits. In this paper we leave the SW interaction avenue and propose Threshold Logic (TL) inspired SW computing, which relies on successive phase rotations applied to one single SW instead of on the interference of an odd number of SWs. After providing a short TL inside we introduce the SW TL gate concept and discuss the way to mirror TL gate weight and threshold values into physical phase-shifter parameters. Subsequently, we design and demonstrate proper operation of a SW TL based Full Adder (FA) by means of micro-magnetic simulations. We conclude the paper by providing inside on the potential advantages of our proposal by means of a conceptual comparison of MAJ and TL based FA implementations.

cs.ET↗

Spintronic logic: from transducers to logic gates and circuits

While magnetic solid-state memory has found commercial applications to date, magnetic logic has rather remained on a conceptual level so far. Here, we discuss open challenges of different spintronic logic approaches, which use magnetic excitations for computation. While different logic gate designs have been proposed and proof of concept experiments have been reported, no nontrivial operational spintronic circuit has been demonstrated due to many open challenges in spintronic circuit and system design. Furthermore, the integration of spintronic circuits in CMOS systems will require the usage of transducers between the electric (CMOS) and magnetic domains. We show that these transducers can limit the performance as well as the energy consumption of hybrid CMOS-spintronic systems. Hence, the optimization of transducer efficiency will be a major step towards competitive spintronic logic system.

cs.ET↗

Magnetoelectric Coupling in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3/CoFeB Nanoscale Waveguides Studied by Propagating Spin-Wave Spectroscopy

This study introduces a method for the characterization of the magnetoelectric coupling in nanoscale Pb(Zr,Ti)O3/CoFeB thin film composites based on propagating spin-wave spectroscopy. Finite element simulations of the strain distribution in the devices indicated that the magnetoelastic effective field in the CoFeB waveguides was maximized in the Damon - Eshbach configuration. All-electrical broadband propagating spin-wave transmission measurements were conducted on Pb(Zr,Ti)O3/CoFeB magnetoelectric waveguides with lateral dimensions down to 700 nm. The results demonstrated that the spin-wave resonance frequency can be modulated by applying a bias voltage to Pb(Zr,Ti)O3. The modulation is hysteretic due to the ferroelastic behavior of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3. An analytical model was then used to correlate the change in resonance frequency to the induced magnetoelastic field in the magnetostrictive CoFeB waveguide. We observe a hysteresis magnetoelastic field strength with values as large as 5.61 mT, and a non-linear magnetoelectric coupling coefficient with a maximum value of 1.69 mT/V.

physics.app-ph↗

Microwave Properties of Ba-Substituted Pb(Zr$_{0.52}$Ti$_{0.48}$)O$_3$ after Chemical-Mechanical Polishing

We have studied the effect of chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) on the ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and microwave dielectric properties of Ba-substituted PZT (BPZT), deposited by pulsed laser deposition. CMP allowed for the reduction of the root mean square surface roughness of 600 nm thick BPZT films from 12.1nm to 0.79 nm. Ammonium peroxide (SC-1) cleaning was effective to remove Si CMP residuals. Measurements of the ferroelectric hysteresis after CMP indicated that the ferroelectric properties of BPZT were only weakly affected by CMP, while the piezoelectric d33 coefficient and the microwave permittivity were reduced slightly by 10%. This can be attributed to the formation of a thin dead layer at the BPZT surface. Moreover, the intrinsic dielectric permittivity at microwave frequencies between 1 and 25 GHz was not influenced by CMP, whereas the dead layer series capacitance decreased by 10%. The results indicate that the CMP process can be used to smoothen the BPZT surface without affecting the film properties strongly.

physics.app-ph↗

Parametric Excitation and Instabilities of Spin Waves driven by Surface Acoustic Waves

The parametric excitation of spin waves by coherent surface acoustic waves is demonstrated experimentally in metallic magnetic thin film structures. The involved magnon modes are analyzed with micro-focused Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy and complementary micromagnetic simulations combined with analytical modelling are used to determine the origin of the spin-wave instabilities. Depending on the experimental conditions, we observe spin-wave instabilities originating from different phonon-magnon and magnon-magnon scattering processes. Our results demonstrate that an efficient excitation of high amplitude, strongly nonlinear magnons in metallic ferromagnets is possible by surface acoustic waves, which opens novel ways to create micro-scaled nonlinear magnonic systems for logic and data processing that can profit from the high excitation efficiency of phonons using piezoelectricity.

cond-mat.other↗

Power transfer in magnetoelectric resonators

We derive an analytical model for the power transfer in a magnetoelectric film bulk acoustic resonator consisting of a piezoelectric--magnetostrictive bilayer. The model describes the dynamic magnetostrictive influence on the elastodynamics via an effective frequency-dependent stiffness constant. This allows for the calculation of both the magnetic and elastic power absorption in the resonator as well as of its energy efficiency when such a resonator is considered as a magnetic transducer. The model is then applied to example systems consisting of piezoelectric ScAlN and magnetostrictive CoFeB, Ni, or Terfenol-D layers.

physics.app-ph↗

Would Magnonic Circuits Outperform CMOS Counterparts?

In the early stages of a novel technology development, it is difficult to provide a comprehensive assessment of its potential capabilities and impact. Nevertheless, some preliminary estimates can be drawn and are certainly of great interest and in this paper we follow this line of reasoning within the framework of the Spin Wave (SW) computing paradigm. In particular, we are interested in assessing the technological development horizon that needs to be reached in order to unleash the full SW paradigm potential such that SW circuits can outperform CMOS counterparts in terms of energy consumption. In view of the zero power SWs propagation through ferromagnetic waveguides, the overall SW circuit power consumption is determined by the one associated to SWs generation and sensing by means of transducers. While current antenna based transducers are clearly power hungry recent developments indicate that magneto-electric (ME) cells have a great potential for ultra-low power SW generation and sensing. Given that MEs have been only proposed at the conceptual level and no actual experimental demonstration has been reported we cannot evaluate the impact of their utilization on the SW circuit energy consumption. However, we can perform a reverse engineering alike analysis to determine ME delay and power consumption upper bounds that can place SW circuits in the leading position. To this end, we utilize a 32-bit Brent-Kung Adder (BKA) as discussion vehicle and compute the maximum ME delay and power consumption that could potentially enable a SW implementation able to outperform its 7nm CMOS counterpart. We evaluate different BKA SW implementations that rely on conversion or normalization gate cascading and consider continuous or pulsed SW generation scenarios. 31nW is the maximum transducer power consumption for which a 32-bit BKA SW implementation can outperform its 7nm CMOS counterpart.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗