Phase-locking and frustration in an array of nonlinear spin-torque nano-oscillators

Abstract

We demonstrate that the cooperative dynamics of an array of coupled spin-torque nano-oscillators (STNO) can be controlled by introduction of an additional external phase shift βc between microwave current, which couples STNOs, and microwave voltage on the array. When this external phase shift βc compensates the intrinsic phase shift β0, caused by the STNO nonlinearity, a phase-locking regime with increased output power and vanishing inhomogeneous linewidth broadening is achieved. In the opposite case, when external and intrinsic phase shifts are added, the STNO array demonstrates a frustration regime with low output power and wide and noisy frequency spectrum.