Speed enhancement of magnetic logic-memory device by insulator-to-metal transition

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor logic circuits used in conventional computers require frequent communication with external nonvolatile memory, causing the memory wall problem. Recently reported magnetic logic with reconfigurable logic operation and built-in nonvolatile memory can potentially bridge this gap. However, its high-frequency performance is not well studied. Here, we first perform experimental and theoretical investigation on the switching time of magnetic logic-memory devices combining magnetic units and negative differential resistance (NDR) of semiconductors. It is found that the switching time of S-type NDR (transistor circuits) in logic operations is ∼300 ns and determined by the transistor's internal turn-on properties. We then propose a magnetic logic-memory device by coupling the anomalous Hall effect in magnetic materials and the insulator-to-metal transition in VO2. Our device realizes reliable output (output ratio > 1000%), a low work magnetic field (<20 mT), and excellent high-frequency performance (switching time = 1–10 ns).