Racetrack Geometry Research Articles

Copper permalloys for fluxgate magnetometer sensors

Abstract. Fluxgate magnetometers are commonly used to provide high-fidelity vector magnetic field measurements. The magnetic noise of the measurement is typically dominated by that intrinsic to a ferromagnetic core used to modulate (gate) the local field as part of the fluxgate sensing mechanism. A polycrystalline molybdenum–nickel–iron alloy (6.0–81.3 Mo permalloy) has been used in fluxgates since the 1970s for its low magnetic noise. Guided by previous investigations of high-permeability copper–nickel–iron alloys, we investigate alternative materials for fluxgate sensing by examining the magnetic properties and fluxgate performance of that permalloy regime in the range 28 %–45 % Cu by weight. Optimizing the alloy constituents within this regime enables us to create fluxgate cores with both lower noise and lower power consumption than equivalent cores based on the traditional molybdenum alloy. Racetrack geometry cores using six layers of ∼30 mm long foil washers consistently yield magnetic noise around 4–5 pT/Hz at 1 Hz and 6–7 pT/Hz at 0.1 Hz, meeting the 2012 1 s INTERMAGNET standard of less than 10 pT/Hz noise at 0.1 Hz.

Cyclic Ion Mobility for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange-Mass Spectrometry Applications.

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool to probe protein dynamics. As a bottom-up technique, HDX-MS provides information at peptide-level resolution, allowing structural localization of dynamic changes. Consequently, the HDX-MS data quality is largely determined by the number of peptides that are identified and monitored after deuteration. Integration of ion mobility (IM) into HDX-MS workflows has been shown to increase the data quality by providing an orthogonal mode of peptide ion separation in the gas phase. This is of critical importance for challenging targets such as integral membrane proteins (IMPs), which often suffer from low sequence coverage or redundancy in HDX-MS analyses. The increasing complexity of samples being investigated by HDX-MS, such as membrane mimetic reconstituted and in vivo IMPs, has generated need for instrumentation with greater resolving power. Recently, Giles et al. developed cyclic ion mobility (cIM), an IM device with racetrack geometry that enables scalable, multipass IM separations. Using one-pass and multipass cIM routines, we use the recently commercialized SELECT SERIES Cyclic IM spectrometer for HDX-MS analyses of four detergent solubilized IMP samples and report its enhanced performance. Furthermore, we develop a novel processing strategy capable of better handling multipass cIM data. Interestingly, use of one-pass and multipass cIM routines produced unique peptide populations, with their combined peptide output being 31 to 222% higher than previous generation SYNAPT G2-Si instrumentation. Thus, we propose a novel HDX-MS workflow with integrated cIM that has the potential to enable the analysis of more complex systems with greater accuracy and speed.

Cyclic superconducting refrigerators using guided fluxon propagation

We propose cyclic refrigeration in solid state, employing a gas of magnetic field vortices in a type-II superconductor—also known as fluxons—as the cooling agent. Refrigeration cycles are realized by envisioning a racetrack geometry consisting of both adiabatic and isothermal arms, etched into a type-II superconductor. The guided propagation of fluxons in the racetrack is achieved by applying an external electrical current, in a Corbino geometry, through the sample. A gradient of magnetic field is set across the racetrack allowing one to adiabatically cool down and heat up the fluxons, which subsequently exchange heat with the cold and hot reservoirs, respectively. We characterize the steady state of refrigeration cycles thermodynamically for both s-wave and d-wave pairing symmetries, and present their figures of merit such as the cooling power delivered, and the coefficient of performance. Our cooling principle can offer significant cooling for on-chip microrefrigeration purposes, by locally cooling below the base temperatures achievable in a conventional dilution refrigerator. We estimate nW/mm2 of cooling power per unit area assuming a tunnel coupling with ∼MΩµm2 specific resistance. Integrating the fluxon fridge to quantum circuits can enhance their coherence time by locally suppressing thermal fluctuations, and improve the efficiency of single photon detectors and charge sensors. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Skyrmion–skyrmion interaction induced by itinerant electrons in a ferromagnetic strip

Magnetic skyrmions are promising spin textures for building next-generation magnetic memories and spintronic devices. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges in realizing skyrmion-based devices is the stabilization of ordered arrays of these spin textures in different geometries. Here we numerically study the skyrmion–skyrmion interaction potential that arises due to the dynamics of itinerant electrons coupled to the magnetic texture in a ferromagnetic background with racetrack geometry. We consider different topological textures (ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM)), namely: skyrmions, antiskyrmions and biskyrmions. We show that at low electron filling, for sufficiently short separation, the skyrmions strongly couple each other yielding a bound-state bound by electronic dynamics. However, when the filling is increased, the interaction potential energy presents local minima at specific values of the skyrmion–skyrmion distance. Each of these local minima corresponds to energetically stable positions of skyrmions which are ‘protected’ by well-defined energy barriers. By inspecting the local charge density, we find that in the case of AFM skyrmions, the local antiferromagnetic nature prevents electronic penetration into the core, allowing the AFM skyrmions to be seen as infinite potential barriers for electrons.

Soliton motion in skyrmion chains: Stabilization and guidance by nanoengineered pinning

Using a particle-based model we examine the depinning motion of solitons in skyrmion chains in quasi-one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) systems containing embedded 1D interfaces. The solitons take the form of a particle or hole in a commensurate chain of skyrmions. Under an applied drive, just above a critical depinning threshold, the soliton moves with a skyrmion Hall angle of zero. For higher drives, the entire chain depins, and in a 2D system we observe that both the solitons and chain move at zero skyrmion Hall angle and then transition to a finite skyrmion Hall angle as the drive increases. In a 2D system with a 1D interface that is at an angle to the driving direction, there can be a reversal of the sign of the skyrmion Hall angle from positive to negative. Our results suggest that solitons in skyrmion systems could be used as information carriers in racetrack geometries that would avoid the drawbacks of finite skyrmion Hall angles. The soliton states become mobile at significantly lower drives than the depinning transition of the skyrmion chains themselves.

Positional Stability of Skyrmions in a Racetrack Memory with Notched Geometry

Magnetic skyrmions are chiral spin textures with attractive features, such as ultra-small size, solitonic nature, and easy mobility with small electrical currents that make them promising as information-carrying bits in low-power high-density memory, and logic applications. However, it is essential to guarantee the positional stability of skyrmions for reliable information extraction. Using micromagnetic simulations for the minimum energy path (MEP), we compute the energy barriers associated with stabilizing notches along a racetrack. We vary material parameters, specifically, the strength of the chiral Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions (DMI), the notch geometry, and the thickness of the racetrack to get the optimal barrier height. We find that the reduction of skyrmion size as it squeezes past the notch gives rise to the energy barrier. We find a range of energy barriers up to ~ 45 kBT for a racetrack of 5 nm thickness that can provide years long positional lifetime of skyrmions for long-term memory applications while requiring a moderate amount of current (~ 10^10 A/m2) to move the skyrmions. Furthermore, we derive quasi-analytical equations to estimate the energy barrier. We also explore other pinning mechanisms, such as a local variation of material parameters in a region, and find that notched geometry provides the highest energy barrier. Our results open up possibilities to design practical skyrmion-based racetrack geometries for spintronics applications.

Contributors to fluxgate magnetic noise in permalloy foils including a potential new copper alloy regime

Abstract. Fluxgate magnetometers provide sensitive and stable measurements of the static and low-frequency vector magnetic field. Fluxgates form a magnetic field measurement by periodically saturating a ferromagnetic core and the intrinsic magnetic noise of this material can determine the noise floor of the instrument. We present the results of an empirical experiment to understand the physical parameters that influence the intrinsic magnetic noise of fluxgate cores. We compare two permalloy alloys – the historical standard 6 % molybdenum alloy and a new 28 % copper alloy. We examine the influence of geometry using the historical standard 1 in. diameter spiral-wound ring core and a new stacked washer racetrack design. We evaluate the influence of material thickness by comparing 100 and 50 µm foils. Finally, we investigate heat treatments in terms of temperature and ramp rate and their role in both grain size and magnetic noise. The results of these experiments suggest that thinner foils, potentially comprising the copper alloy, manufactured into continuous racetrack geometry washers may provide excellent performance in fluxgate sensors.

Role of impurity clusters for the current-driven motion of magnetic skyrmions

We study how impurities influence the current-induced dynamics of magnetic Skyrmions moving in a racetrack geometry. For this, we solve numerically the generalized Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation extended by the current-induced spin transfer torque. In particular, we investigate two classes of impurities, non-conducting and magnetic impurities. The former are magnetically rigid objects and yield to an inhomogeneous current density over the racetrack which we determine separately by solving the fundamental electrostatic equations. In contrast, magnetic impurities leave the applied current density homogeneous throughout the stripe. Depending on parameters, we observe four different scenarios of Skyrmion motions in the presence of disorder, the Skyrmion decay, the pinning, the creation of additional Skyrmions, and ordinary Skyrmion passage. We calculate and discuss phase diagrams in dependence of the impurity concentration and radii of the impurities.

Skyrmion ratchet propagation: utilizing the skyrmion Hall effect in AC racetrack storage devices

Magnetic skyrmions are whirl-like nano-objects with topological protection. When driven by direct currents, skyrmions move but experience a transverse deflection. This so-called skyrmion Hall effect is often regarded a drawback for memory applications. Herein, we show that this unique effect can also be favorable for spintronic applications: We show that in a racetrack with a broken inversion symmetry, the skyrmion Hall effect allows to translate an alternating current into a directed motion along the track, like in a ratchet. We analyze several modes of the ratchet mechanism and show that it is unique for topological magnetic whirls. We elaborate on the fundamental differences compared to the motion of topologically trivial magnetic objects, as well as classical particles driven by periodic forces. Depending on the exact racetrack geometry, the ratchet mechanism can be soft or strict. In the latter case, the skyrmion propagates close to the efficiency maximum.

Geometric model of lockstitch seam and prediction of thread consumption

This article presents models for predicting thread consumption of lockstitch seam. Various fabric and sewing thread parameters like fabric thickness, number of plies and sewing thread diameter were found to be the control factors in thread consumption calculations. New equations were developed from real stitch images by creating realistic stitch models of lockstitch seam. Lockstitch was modeled using elliptical, racetrack and circular geometry. Elliptical and racetrack models were verified by stitching samples at different feed rates by comparing actual and predicted thread consumption. Scatter plots of both models were made to check the level of accuracy with actual values. The proposed model offers relatively less error% as compared to previous rectangular and elliptical models. Racetrack model came out as the most simpler, versatile and accurate model of thread consumption calculation of lockstitch. It was found that circular model is suitable for the samples stitched at equal stitch spacing and fabric assembly thickness.

Producing flow in racetrack atom circuits by stirring

We present a study of how macroscopic flow can be produced in Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a "racetrack" potential by stirring with a wide rectangular barrier. This potential consists of two half-circle channels separated by straight channels of length $L$ and is a ring potential if $L=0$. We present the results of a large set of simulations where racetrack condensates stirred with a barrier under varying conditions of barrier height, stir speed, racetrack geometry, and temperature. We found that stirring was readily able to produce circulation in ring and non-ring geometries but that the exact amount of flow produced was complicated. We therefore also studied the mechanism by which flow was produced in the stirring process. We found that circulation was induced by the swap of a vortex/anti-vortex pair that was initially created by backflow of the condensate in the region of depressed density by the barrier. When the barrier strength reached a critical value a number of these vortex-swap events occurred in rapid succession so that flow speed of the circulation produced was enough to exceed the stir speed of the barrier. Flow that was initially localized in the vortices involved in the vortex swap was converted into macroscopic flow around the racetrack by pairs of disturbances each generated during the vortex swap. Each pair consisted of a vortex/anti-vortex pair moving in the anti-stir direction and a compression wave moving in the stir direction. This picture of the mechanism for making flow will enable the design of stirring schedules that create a desired amount of flow.

Self-focusing hybrid skyrmions in spatially varying canted ferromagnetic systems

Magnetic skyrmions are quasiparticle configurations in a magnetic film that can act as information carrying bits for ultrasmall, all-electronic nonvolatile memory. The skyrmions can be nucleated and driven by spin-orbit torque from a current driven in a heavy metal underlayer. Along its gyrotropic path, a Magnus force can cause a skyrmion to be annihilated at the boundaries. By combining interfacial and bulk Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions (DMIs), for instance by using a B20 material on top of a heavy metal layer with high spin-orbit coupling, it is possible to engineer a hybrid skyrmion that will travel parallel to the racetrack with zero Magnus force. We show that by using a spatially varying interfacial DMI, a hybrid skyrmion will automatically self-focus onto such a track as its domain angle evolves along the path. Furthermore, using a gate driven voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy, we can control the trajectory of the hybrid skyrmion and its eventual convergence path and lane selection in a racetrack geometry.

AC Losses Analysis in stack of 2G HTS tapes in a coil

The model coil with the racetrack geometry based on second generation (2G) High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) tapes has been developed for an electrical machine where a winding pack is a stack of 2G HTS tapes. It is important to evaluate transport current AC losses and possible methods to reduce them in a winding. In a device made of 2G HTS tapes, the main the AC losses are the hysteresis ones. Only numerical simulation permits to predict them in full. The FEM model for calculation of the hysteresis losses developed before for 2G HTS power cables was modified for a stack of the 2G HTS tapes in a coil. In this paper the methods to increase a computational speed are presented. Possible ways to reduce AC losses are discussed also. The details of the model and comparisons of calculations with measurements of the AC loss are presented.

Анализ потерь в обмотках и стопках из ВТСП лент второго поколения

The model coil with the racetrack geometry based on second generation High Temperature Superconducting tapes has been developed for an electrical machine where a winding pack is a stack of 2G HTS tapes. It is important to evaluate transport current AC losses and possible methods to reduce them in a winding. In a device made of 2G HTS tapes, the main the AC losses are the hysteresis ones. Only numerical simulation permits to predict them in full. The FEM model for calculation of the hysteresis losses developed before for 2G HTS power cables was modified for a stack of the 2G HTS tapes in a coil. In this paper the methods to increase a computational speed are presented. Possible ways to reduce AC losses are discussed also. The details of the model and comparisons of calculations with measurements of the AC loss are presented.

A gas flow meter with linear sensitivity based on freely-suspended nanofilms of smectic liquid crystal

A technique of mechanical airflow sensing based on coupling to a film of fluid smectic liquid crystals is presented. A gas jet confined to a narrow channel induces flow in a continuous, freely suspended film with racetrack geometry, whose velocity field is then mapped using video microscopy and particle tracking techniques. Because the nanofilm has so little mass compared to the air, its velocity provides a direct readout of the velocity profile of the gas in the channel. This method of flow measurement offers several advantages over conventional mechanical flow meters: It has linear sensitivity, and so, it can operate at low flows, and the energy lost due to the measurement is negligible.

Interfacial Landau levels in bent graphene racetracks

One-dimensional electronic states are critical to many fascinating phenomena in low dimensions. We show that a series of interfacial states can be induced by applying an in-plane bending to a graphene racetrack geometry, an effective superlattice consisting of multiple graphene and hexagonal boron nitride ($h\mathrm{BN}$) domains. These local states, robust against the detailed atomic configuration along interfaces, display a unique coupling of their energies and their spatial locations. This way, it is possible to identify such a state with certain energy by merely referring to its location, mimicking well the transverse magnetic focusing. Further, these local states are ballistically conducting with different group velocities, indicating that each interfacial transport channel has a unique electric conduction. These findings may have implications for the design of nanoelectronics with heterostructures.

Chirality selective spin interactions mediated by the moving superconducting condensate

We show that superconducting correlations in the presence of non-zero condensate velocity can mediate the peculiar interaction between localized spins that breaks the global inversion symmetry of magnetic moments. The proposed interaction mechanism is capable of removing fundamental degeneracies between topologically distinct magnetic textures. For the generic system of three magnetic impurities in the current-carrying superconductor we find the energy term proportional to spin chirality. In realistic superconductor/ferromagnetic/superconductor setups we reveal significant energy differences between various magnetic textures with opposite chiralities. We calculate Josephson energies of junctions through left and right-handed magnetic helices as well as through the magnetic skyrmions with opposite topological charges. Relative energy shifts between otherwise degenerate magnetic textures in these setups are regulated by the externally controlled Josephson phase difference. The suggested low-dissipative manipulation with the skyrmion position in a racetrack geometry can be used for the advanced spintronics applications.

Large-FSR Thermally Tunable Double-Ring Filters for WDM Applications in Silicon Photonics

We present the design procedure and experimental results of thermally tunable double ring resonators for integrated wavelength division multiplexing applications. A detailed analytical model specific for double rings is described, and a modified racetrack geometry using Bezier bends is used to reduce bending loss. We demonstrate devices with a free-spectral-range up to 2.4 THz (19 nm) around 1550 nm and nonadjacent channel rejection higher than 35 dB. The experimental results of thermally tunable double ring resonators is also presented with doped silicon integrated heaters, allowing the device to be used as a tunable filter or a switch.

Geometric control of active collective motion.

Recent experimental studies have shown that confinement can profoundly affect self-organization in semi-dilute active suspensions, leading to striking features such as the formation of steady and spontaneous vortices in circular domains and the emergence of unidirectional pumping motions in periodic racetrack geometries. Motivated by these findings, we analyze the two-dimensional dynamics in confined suspensions of active self-propelled swimmers using a mean-field kinetic theory where conservation equations for the particle configurations are coupled to the forced Navier-Stokes equations for the self-generated fluid flow. In circular domains, a systematic exploration of the parameter space casts light on three distinct states: equilibrium with no flow, stable vortex, and chaotic motion, and the transitions between these are explained and predicted quantitatively using a linearized theory. In periodic racetracks, similar transitions from equilibrium to net pumping to traveling waves to chaos are observed in agreement with experimental observations and are also explained theoretically. Our results underscore the subtle effects of geometry on the morphology and dynamics of emerging patterns in active suspensions and pave the way for the control of active collective motion in microfluidic devices.

Analytical trajectories of skyrmions in confined geometries: Skyrmionic racetracks and nano-oscillators

Magnetic skyrmions are candidates for a new generation of information carriers due to their nanometric size and topologically protected stability. The study of the dynamics of such skyrmions in racetrack geometries and, in general, in confined geometries becomes essential to achieve these goals. Here we present analytical expressions for the trajectories of skyrmions in confined geometries (including long tracks and squared samples) when driven by polarized electric currents. The force exerted by the borders is derived as a function of the material parameters (anisotropy, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya, and exchange constants) and incorporated in the equation of motion of the skyrmions. We find the general expressions for the trajectories in several possible scenarios, and we also find simple expressions for the stationary position, the velocity, as well as for the threshold velocity of the driving electrons that could overcome the edge repulsion. In fully confined geometries, the geometric edges can produce a naturally oscillating movement, allowing for dynamical resonances if the driving current is an ac current with adequate frequency. Numerical micromagnetic simulations considering typical experimental parameters are used to corroborate the theory.