Power reduction in nanomagnet logic using high-permeability dielectrics

In nanomagnet logic (NML), tens-of-mT fields are required to initiate the ordering of nanomagnets, and clock them into their computational ground state. This work investigates material-based approaches that are being used to reduce the nulling clock field. As test cases, arrays of both standalone and coupled magnets are covered with enhanced-permeability dielectric (EPD) films. Experimental results demonstrate that EPDs can reduce the fields required to saturate standalone magnets along the hard-axis by 60%, and coupled magnets by 75%. Experiments show that the remanent magnetization of a nanomagnet array is unchanged after being coated with EPDs, demonstrating that no undesired remanence is added to the NML system. The 75% reduction in switching field translates to a 94% reduction in energy dissipation due to reduced Joule-heating of field-generating wires.