Computing multi-magnet based devices and methods for solution of optimization problems

• US 8,698,517 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: Behin-Aein, Behtash
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, DYLAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/572,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 326 37- 41, 326/47, 977/940
• US Class Current: 326/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/00 Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/00 Galvanomagnetic devices Hall-effect devices H10N52/00; integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N59/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one galvanomagnetic or Hall-effect element covered by groups H10N50/00 - H10N52/00 MRAM devices H10B61/00

Abstract

A computing multi-magnet device and method for solving complex computational problems is provided. Embodiments include a first magnet, a second magnet, and an interconnect between and interconnecting the first and second magnets, the interconnect configured to allow the first and second magnets to communicate via a voltage or current applied to the first and second magnet and conducted by the interconnect. The scalability of computing multi-magnet device provides solutions to algorithms that have exponentially increasing complexity.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet; and

an interconnect between and interconnecting the first and second magnets, the interconnect configured to allow the first and second magnets to communicate via a voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets and conducted by the interconnect;

wherein the first and second magnets have superposition states that are achievable by magnetizing the first and second magnets, and wherein magnetization of the first and second magnets is applied along respective neutral axes of the first and second magnets by a pulsing agent having a pulsing period of 100 picosecond (ps) to 10 millisecond (ms).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnets are nanomagnets.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnets communicate via spin polarized currents, spin waves, or a domain wall, and the pulsing agent is an external magnetic field, a spin transfer torque effect, or a voltage induced rotation of magnetization.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnets have relaxed states that are achievable after magnetization of the first and second magnets.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the relaxed states of the first and second magnets are achieved with a known probability and based on a polarity and magnitude of the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the relaxed states are ferromagnetic ordering if the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets has a negative polarity, and the relaxed states are anti-ferromagnetic ordering if the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets has a positive polarity.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein communications between the first and second magnets are tunable based on the magnitude and polarity of the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets.

8. A method comprising:

electrically coupling a first magnet and a second magnet by an interconnect;

applying a voltage or current to the first and second magnets; and

configuring the interconnect to allow the first and second magnets to communicate in response to the voltage or current;

wherein the first and second magnets are magnetized to a superposition state along respective neutral axes of the first and second magnets by a pulsing agent for a pulsing period of 100 picosecond (ps) to 10 millisecond (ms).

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising relaxing the first and second magnets to a state that is based on the polarity and magnitude of the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising magnetizing the first and second magnets by subjecting the first and second magnets to an external magnetic field, a spin transfer torque, or a voltage induced rotation.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the superposition state of the magnets is achieved by the spin transfer torque having a current of 5 μ

A to 10 mA.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the voltage induced rotation uses a voltage of 5 mV to 10V.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second magnets communicate via spin polarized currents, spin waves, or a domain wall, all of which are generated by the voltage or current applied to the first and second magnets.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second magnets have relaxed states that are achievable with a known probability after magnetization of the first and second magnets.

15. The method according to claim 9, comprising applying a voltage or current having a negative polarity and relaxing the first and second magnets to a ferromagnetic ordering.

16. The method according to claim 9, comprising applying a voltage or current having a positive polarity and relaxing the first and second magnets to an anti-ferromagnetic ordering.

17. A method comprising:

arranging a plurality of magnets in a circuit architectural configuration with an interconnect electrically coupling each pair of magnets;

for each pair of magnets;

applying a voltage or current to the two magnets; and

magnetizing the two magnets to a superposition state along respective neutral axes of the two magnets by a pulsing agent for a pulsing period of 100 picosecond (ps) to 10 millisecond (ms).

18. The method according to claim 17, comprising magnetizing each pair of magnets by applying an external magnetic field, a spin transfer torque effect, or a voltage induced rotation of magnetization.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising relaxing each pair of magnets to a final state based on the polarity and magnitude of the voltage or current applied to the pair of magnets, the final state for at least one pair of magnets being achievable with a known probability.

20. The method according to claim 19, comprising relaxing each pair of magnets to a final state of a ferromagnetic ordering by applying a voltage or current having a negative polarity.

21. The method according to claim 19, comprising relaxing each pair of magnets to a final state of an anti-ferromagnetic ordering by applying a voltage or current having a positive polarity.