Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Shaloo Rakheja

Publications and source records attributed to Shaloo Rakheja.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Fokker--Planck framework for stochastic octupole moment dynamics in chiral antiferromagnet Mn3Sn

We develop a reduced stochastic framework for thermally assisted octupole moment dynamics in Mn3Sn by combining the reduced Landau--Lifshitz--Gilbert (LLG) equation with the Fokker--Planck formalism. The reduced model is benchmarked against the complete three-sublattice octupole dynamics and is shown to capture the essential switching behavior with good accuracy. We then derive the corresponding Fokker--Planck equation, which is implemented and solved via a CUDA-accelerated solver. The analysis shows that the octupole dynamics are highly sensitive to the out-of-plane grid resolution because ultrafast rotation of the octupole is controlled by its very small deviations from the basal plane. The solver is validated against Monte Carlo simulations through equilibrium distributions, relaxation trajectories, and switching times. Finally, we apply the method to thermally assisted field-driven switching and demonstrate efficient access to ultra-low error probabilities beyond the practical reach of direct Monte Carlo simulations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2026

Hot LO Phonon-Induced RF Nonlinearity in GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

Hot longitudinal optical (LO) phonons in GaN have recently been identified as a major factor degrading the DC performance of GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) by 30-60%, despite their ultrafast decay. However, their impact on large-signal RF performance, particularly RF linearity, remains poorly understood. Using full-band transport simulations of a fabricated GaN HEMT, we show that even ultrafast LO phonons with a lifetime of 30 fs degrade the output 1-dB compression point and the third-order output intercept power by ~3 dB compared to the case without LO phonon heating. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that improvements in transconductance ($g_\textrm{m}$) flatness do not necessarily translate into improved RF linearity because multiple nonlinear mechanisms contribute to the transistor response, and their combined effect cannot be captured by $g_\mathrm{m}$ flatness alone. This work clarifies a persistent ambiguity in the literature regarding using $g_\mathrm{m}$ flatness as a proxy for RF linearity and establishes intrinsic phonon-induced limits on the RF performance of GaN HEMTs.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2026

Physics-based Full-band GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistor Simulation Suggests Upper Bound of LO Phonon Lifetime

Intrinsic limits to device performance arise from fundamental material properties that define the best achievable operation, independent of engineering constraints. In GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), hot longitudinal optical (LO) phonons can act as an intrinsic performance bottleneck by reducing electron saturation velocity, output current, and transconductance, which are key device metrics. While bulk GaN studies report LO phonon lifetimes of approximately 1 ps, leading to strong nonequilibrium phonon populations, ungated heterostructures show much shorter lifetimes of only tens of femtoseconds. Because direct measurement inside a HEMT channel is challenging, the true impact of hot phonons remains uncertain. Using full-band transport simulations of a fabricated GaN HEMT, we show that LO phonon lifetimes must be less than about 40 fs to reproduce measured I-V characteristics, consistent with ultrafast decay observed in GaN heterostructures. We further demonstrate that even these ultrafast lifetimes are not sufficient to eliminate hot phonon effects: the residual nonequilibrium LO population continues to limit the current density at high bias. Moreover, when the LO phonon lifetime exceeds a few tens of femtoseconds, a pronounced hot phonon bottleneck emerges, leading to substantial current-density suppression that is inconsistent with experiment.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2025

Enhancing Hole Mobility in Monolayer $WSe_{2}$ p-FETs via Process-Induced Compression

Understanding the interactions between strain, interfacial mechanics, and electrical performance is critical for designing beyond silicon electronics based on hetero-integrated 2D materials. Through combined experiment and simulation, we demonstrated and analyzed the enhancement of hole mobility in p-type monolayer $WSe_{2}$ field effect transistors (FETs) under biaxial compression. We tracked FET performance versus strain by incrementing compressive strain to $WSe_{2}$ channels via sequential AlOx deposition and performing intermediate photoluminescence and transport measurements. The hole mobility factor increased at a rate of 340 $\pm$ 95 %/%$ε$, and the on-current factor increased at a rate of 460 $\pm$ 340 %/%$ε$. Simulation revealed that the enhancement under compression arises primarily from a reduction in inter-valley scattering between the $Γ$--K valence bands, and the rate is robust against variations in carrier density, impurity density, or dielectric environment. These findings show that compressive strain is a powerful technique for enhancing performance in 2D p-FETs and that it is multiplicative with defect and doping engineering.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2025

Strain-tunable inter-valley scattering defines universal mobility enhancement in n- and p-type 2D TMDs

Strain fundamentally alters carrier transport in semiconductors by modifying their band structure and scattering pathways. In transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), an emerging class of 2D semiconductors, we show that mobility modulation under biaxial strain is dictated by changes in inter-valley scattering rather than effective mass renormalization as in bulk silicon. Using a multiscale full-band transport framework that incorporates both intrinsic phonon, extrinsic impurity, and dielectric scattering, we find that tensile strain enhances n-type mobility through K-Q valley separation, while compressive strain improves p-type mobility via Γ-K decoupling. The tuning rates calculated from our full-band model far exceed those achieved by strain engineering in silicon. Both relaxed and strain-modulated carrier mobilities align quantitatively with experimentally verified measurements and are valid across a wide range of practical FET configurations. The enhancement remains robust across variations in temperature, carrier density, impurity level, and dielectric environment. Our results highlight the pivotal role of strain in improving the reliability and performance of 2D TMD-based electronics.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2025

Influence of thermal noise on the field-driven dynamics of the non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn

$\mathrm{Mn_3Sn}(0\overline{1}\overline{1}0)[0001]$ experiences a tensile strain when grown epitaxially on $\mathrm{MgO}(110)[001]$, and thus the energy landscape changes from six-fold symmetry to two-fold symmetry. External magnetic field further breaks the symmetry and the resulting energy landscape is sensitive to the field orientation relative to the easy axis. In the presence of thermal noise, the relaxation of the magnetic octupole moment in a strained Mn$_3$Sn film is composed of four distinct escape processes involving the two saddle points and two equilibrium states in the energy landscape. Here, we apply harmonic transition-state theory to derive analytical expressions for the inter-well escape time and octupole moment relaxation time, both influenced by an external symmetry-breaking magnetic field and finite thermal noise in the intermediate-to-high damping regime. The analytical predictions are in strong agreement with comprehensive numerical simulations based on coupled LLG equations. The results presented here are crucial toward realizing Mn$_3$Sn's applications in random number generation and probabilistic computing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2024

Spintronic devices and applications using noncollinear chiral antiferromagnets

Antiferromagnetic materials have a vanishingly small net magnetization, which generates weak dipolar fields and makes them robust against external magnetic perturbation and rapid magnetization dynamics, as dictated by the geometric mean of their exchange and anisotropy energies. However, experimental and theoretical techniques to detect and manipulate the antiferromagnetic order in a fully electrical manner must be developed to enable advanced spintronic devices with antiferromagnets (AFMs) as their active spin-dependent elements. Among the various AFMs, conducting AFMs offer high electrical and thermal conductivities and strong electron-spin-phonon interactions. Noncollinear metallic AFMs with negative chirality, including Mn3Sn, Mn3Ge, and Mn3GaN, offer rich physics that arises from their topology. In this review article, we introduce the crystal structure and the physical phenomena observed in negative chirality AFMs. Experimental and theoretical advances related to current-induced dynamics on the spin structure of Mn3Sn are discussed. We then present a potential AFM spintronic device that can serve as a non-volatile memory, high-frequency signal generator, neuron emulator, and even a probabilistic bit, depending on the design parameters and the input stimuli, i.e., amplitude and pulse width of the injected spin current and the external magnetic field. In this device, spin-orbit torques can be used to manipulate the order parameter, while the device state can be read via tunneling magnetoresistance. We also present analytic models that relate the performance characteristics of the device with its design parameters, thus enabling a rapid technology-device assessment. Effects of Joule heating and thermal noise on the device characteristics are briefly discussed. We close the paper by summarizing the status of research and present our outlook in this rapidly evolving research field.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2024

Impact of strain on the SOT-driven dynamics of thin film Mn$_3$Sn

Mn$_3$Sn, a metallic antiferromagnet with an anti-chiral 120$^\circ$ spin structure, generates intriguing magneto-transport signatures such as a large anomalous Hall effect, spin-polarized current with novel symmetries, anomalous Nernst effect, and magneto-optic Kerr effect. When grown epitaxially as MgO(110)[001]$\parallel$ Mn$_3$Sn($0\bar{1}\bar{1}0$)[0001], Mn$_3$Sn experiences a uniaxial tensile strain, which changes the bulk six-fold anisotropy landscape to a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with two stable states. In this work, we investigate the field-assisted spin orbit-torque (SOT)-driven response of the order parameter in single-domain Mn$_3$Sn with uniaxial tensile strain. We find that for a non-zero external magnetic field, the order parameter can be switched between the two stable states if the magnitude of the input current is between two field-dependent critical currents. Below the lower critical current, the order parameter exhibits a stationary state in the vicinity of the initial stable state. On the other hand, above the higher critical current, the order parameter shows oscillatory dynamics which could be tuned from the 100's of megahertz to the gigahertz range. We obtain approximate expressions of the two critical currents and find them to agree very well with the numerical simulations for experimentally relevant magnetic fields. We also obtain unified functional form of the switching time versus the input current for different magnetic fields. Finally, we show that for lower values of Gilbert damping ($α\leq 2\times 10^{-3}$), the critical currents and the final steady states depend significantly on the damping constant. The numerical and analytic results presented in our work can be used by both theorists and experimentalists to understand the SOT-driven order dynamics in PMA Mn$_3$Sn and design future experiments and devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2023

Temperature-Resilient True Random Number Generation with Stochastic Actuated Magnetic Tunnel Junction Devices

Nanoscale magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices can efficiently convert thermal energy in the environment into random bitstreams for computational modeling and cryptography. We recently showed that perpendicular MTJs activated by nanosecond pulses can generate true random numbers at high data rates. Here, we explore the dependence of probability bias-the deviations from equal probability (50/50) 0/1 bit outcomes-of such devices on temperature, pulse amplitude, and duration. Our experimental results and device model demonstrate that operation with nanosecond pulses in the ballistic limit minimizes variation of probability bias with temperature to be far lower than that of devices operated with longer-duration pulses. Further, operation in the short-pulse limit reduces the bias variation with pulse amplitude while rendering the device more sensitive to pulse duration. These results are significant for designing TRNG MTJ circuits and establishing operating conditions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2023

Reduced sensitivity to process, voltage and temperature variations in activated perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions based stochastic devices

True random number generators (TRNGs) are fundamental building blocks for many applications, such as cryptography, Monte Carlo simulations, neuromorphic computing, and probabilistic computing. While perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs) based on low-barrier magnets (LBMs) are natural sources of TRNGs, they tend to suffer from device-to-device variability, low speed, and temperature sensitivity. Instead, medium-barrier magnets (MBMs) operated with nanosecond pulses - denoted, stochastic magnetic actuated random transducer (SMART) devices - are potentially superior candidates for such applications. We present a systematic analysis of spin-torque-driven switching of MBM-based pMTJs (Eb ~ 20 - 40 kBT) as a function of pulse duration (1 ps to 1 ms), by numerically solving their macrospin dynamics using a 1-D Fokker-Planck equation. We investigate the impact of voltage, temperature, and process variations (MTJ dimensions and material parameters) on the switching probability of the device. Our findings indicate SMART devices activated by short-duration pulses (< 1 ns) are much less sensitive to process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variations while consuming lower energy (~ fJ) than the same devices operated with longer pulses. Our results show a path toward building fast, energy-efficient, and robust TRNG hardware units for solving optimization problems.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2023

2D Ambipolar Vertical Transistors as Control-free Reconfigurable Logic Devices

As transistor footprint scales down to sub-10 nm regime, the process development for advancing to further technology nodes has encountered slowdowns. Achieving greater functionality within a single chip requires concurrent development at the device, circuit, and system levels. Reconfigurable transistors possess the capability to transform into both n-type and p-type transistors dynamically during operation. This transistor-level reconfigurability enables field-programmable logic circuits with fewer components compared to conventional circuits. However, the reconfigurability requires additional polarity control gates in the transistor and potentially impairs the gain from a smaller footprint. In this paper, vertical transistors with ambipolar MoTe2 channels are fabricated using the transfer-metal method. The efficient asymmetric electrostatic gating in source and drain contacts gives rise to different Schottky barriers at the two contacts. Consequently, the ambipolar conduction is reduced to unipolar conduction due to different Schottky barrier widths for electrons and holes. The current flow direction determines the preferred carrier type. Temperature-dependent measurements reveal the Schottky barrier-controlled conduction in the vertical transistors and confirm different Schottky barrier widths with and without electrostatic gating. Without the complexity overhead from polarity control gates, control-free vertical reconfigurable transistors promise higher logic density and lower cost in future integrated circuits.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2023

Order parameter dynamics in Mn$_3$Sn driven by DC and pulsed spin-orbit torques

We numerically investigate and develop analytic models for both the DC and pulsed spin-orbit-torque (SOT)-driven response of order parameter in single-domain Mn$_3$Sn, which is a metallic antiferromagnet with an anti-chiral 120$^\circ$ spin structure. We show that DC currents above a critical threshold can excite oscillatory dynamics of the order parameter in the gigahertz to terahertz frequency spectrum. Detailed models of the oscillation frequency versus input current are developed and found to be in excellent agreement with the numerical simulations of the dynamics. In the case of pulsed excitation, the magnetization can be switched from one stable state to any of the other five stable states in the Kagome plane by tuning the duration or the amplitude of the current pulse. Precise functional forms of the final switched state versus the input current are derived, offering crucial insights into the switching dynamics of Mn$_3$Sn. The readout of the magnetic state can be carried out via either the anomalous Hall effect, or the recently demonstrated tunneling magnetoresistance in an all-Mn$_3$Sn junction. We also discuss possible disturbance of the magnetic order due to heating that may occur if the sample is subject to large currents. Operating the device in pulsed mode or using low DC currents reduces the peak temperature rise in the sample due to Joule heating. Our predictive modeling and simulation results can be used by both theorists and experimentalists to explore the interplay of SOT and the order dynamics in Mn$_3$Sn, and to further benchmark the device performance.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2023

Low-Thermal-Budget Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors Based on CuInP2S6 and InZnO

In this paper, we demonstrate low-thermal-budget ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) based on two-dimensional ferroelectric CuInP2S6 (CIPS) and oxide semiconductor InZnO (IZO). The CIPS/IZO FeFETs exhibit non-volatile memory windows of ~1 V, low off-state drain currents, and high carrier mobilities. The ferroelectric CIPS layer serves a dual purpose by providing electrostatic doping in IZO and acting as a passivation layer for the IZO channel. We also investigate the CIPS/IZO FeFETs as artificial synaptic devices for neural networks. The CIPS/IZO synapse demonstrates a sizeable dynamic ratio (125) and maintains stable multi-level states. Neural networks based on CIPS/IZO FeFETs achieve an accuracy rate of over 80% in recognizing MNIST handwritten digits. These ferroelectric transistors can be vertically stacked on silicon CMOS with a low thermal budget, offering broad applications in CMOS+X technologies and energy-efficient 3D neural networks.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2023

Physics-Based Modeling and Validation of 2D Schottky Barrier Field-Effect Transistors

In this work, we describe the charge transport in two-dimensional (2D) Schottky barrier field-effect transistors (SB-FETs) based on the carrier injection at the Schottky contacts. We first develop a numerical model for thermionic and field-emission processes of carrier injection that occur at a Schottky contact. The numerical model is then simplified to yield an analytic equation for current versus voltage ($I$-$V$) in the SB-FET. The lateral electric field at the junction, controlling the carrier injection, is obtained by accurately modeling the electrostatics and the tunneling barrier width. Unlike previous SB-FET models that are valid for near-equilibrium conditions, this model is applicable for a broad bias range as it incorporates the pertinent physics of thermionic, thermionic field-emission, and field-emission processes from a 3D metal into a 2D semiconductor. The $I$-$V$ model is validated against the measurement data of 2-, 3-, and 4-layer ambipolar MoTe$_2$ SB-FETs fabricated in our lab, as well as the published data of unipolar 2D SB-FETs using MoS$_2$. Finally, the model's physics is tested rigorously by comparing model-generated data against TCAD simulation data.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2023

Content Addressable Memories and Transformable Logic Circuits Based on Ferroelectric Reconfigurable Transistors for In-Memory Computing

As a promising alternative to the Von Neumann architecture, in-memory computing holds the promise of delivering high computing capacity while consuming low power. Content addressable memory (CAM) can implement pattern matching and distance measurement in memory with massive parallelism, making them highly desirable for data-intensive applications. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a novel 1-transistor-per-bit CAM based on the ferroelectric reconfigurable transistor. By exploiting the switchable polarity of the ferroelectric reconfigurable transistor, XOR/XNOR-like matching operation in CAM can be realized in a single transistor. By eliminating the need for the complementary circuit, these non-volatile CAMs based on reconfigurable transistors can offer a significant improvement in area and energy efficiency compared to conventional CAMs. NAND- and NOR-arrays of CAMs are also demonstrated, which enable multi-bit matching in a single reading operation. In addition, the NOR array of CAM cells effectively measures the Hamming distance between the input query and stored entries. Furthermore, utilizing the switchable polarity of these ferroelectric Schottky barrier transistors, we demonstrate reconfigurable logic gates with NAND/NOR dual functions, whose input-output mapping can be transformed in real-time without changing the layout. These reconfigurable circuits will serve as important building blocks for high-density data-stream processors and reconfigurable Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (r-ASICs). The CAMs and transformable logic gates based on ferroelectric reconfigurable transistors will have broad applications in data-intensive applications from image processing to machine learning and artificial intelligence.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2023

A True Random Number Generator for Probabilistic Computing using Stochastic Magnetic Actuated Random Transducer Devices

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which are the fundamental building blocks of spintronic devices, have been used to build true random number generators (TRNGs) with different trade-offs between throughput, power, and area requirements. MTJs with high-barrier magnets (HBMs) have been used to generate random bitstreams with $\lesssim$ 200~Mb/s throughput and pJ/bit energy consumption. A high temperature sensitivity, however, adversely affects their performance as a TRNG. Superparamagnetic MTJs employing low-barrier magnets (LBMs) have also been used for TRNG operation. Although LBM-based MTJs can operate at low energy, they suffer from slow dynamics, sensitivity to process variations, and low fabrication yield. In this paper, we model a TRNG based on medium-barrier magnets (MBMs) with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The proposed MBM-based TRNG is driven with short voltage pulses to induce ballistic, yet stochastic, magnetization switching. We show that the proposed TRNG can operate at frequencies of about 500~MHz while consuming less than 100~fJ/bit of energy. In the short-pulse ballistic limit, the switching probability of our device shows robustness to variations in temperature and material parameters relative to LBMs and HBMs. Our results suggest that MBM-based MTJs are suitable candidates for building fast and energy-efficient TRNG hardware units for probabilistic computing.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2022

A comparison of a commercial hydrodynamics TCAD solver and Fermi kinetics transport convergence for GaN HEMTs

Various simulations of a GaN HEMT are used to study the behaviors of two different energy-transport models: the Fermi kinetics transport model and a hydrodynamics transport model as it is implemented in the device simulator Sentaurus from Synopsys. The electron transport and heat flow equations of the respective solvers are described in detail. The differences in the description of electron flux and the discretization methods are highlighted. Next, the transport models are applied to the same simulated device structure using identical meshes, boundary conditions, and material parameters. Static simulations show the numerical convergence of Fermi kinetics to be consistently quadratic or faster, whereas the hydrodynamic model is often sub-quadratic. Further comparisons of large signal transient simulations reveal the hydrodynamic model produces certain anomalous electron ensemble behaviors within the transistor structure. The fundamentally different electron dynamics produced by the two models suggest an underlying cause for their different numerical convergence characteristics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2022

Spin-Torque-driven Terahertz Auto Oscillations in Non-Collinear Coplanar Antiferromagnets

We theoretically and numerically study the terahertz auto oscillations in thin-film metallic non-collinear coplanar antiferromagnets (AFMs), such as $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Sn}$ and $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Ir}$, under the effect of anti-damping spin-torque with spin polarization perpendicular to the plane of the film. To obtain the order parameter dynamics in these AFMs, we solve three Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations coupled by exchange interactions assuming both single- and multi-domain (micromagnetics) dynamical processes. In the limit of strong exchange interaction, the oscillatory dynamics of the order parameter in these AFMs, which have opposite chiralities, could be mapped to that of a linear damped-driven pendulum in the case of $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Sn}$, and a non-linear damped-driven pendulum in case of $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Ir}$. The theoretical framework allows us to identify the input current requirements as a function of the material and geometry parameters for exciting an oscillatory response. We also obtain a closed-form approximate solution of the oscillation frequency for large input currents in case of both $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Ir}$ and $\mathrm{Mn_{3}Sn}$. Our analytical predictions of threshold current and oscillation frequency agree well with the numerical results and thus can be used as compact models to design and optimize the auto oscillator. Employing a circuit model, based on the principle of tunnel anisotropy magnetoresistance, we present detailed models of the output power and efficiency versus oscillation frequency of the auto oscillator. Finally, we explore the spiking dynamics of two unidirectional as well as bidirectional coupled AFM oscillators using non-linear damped-driven pendulum equations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗