EAPSI: Developing a Fast, Nano-Scale Wideband Spectrum Analyzer for GHz Frequency Analysis and Novel Computer Logic Applications

该项目将朝着开发一种新的仪器迈出重要的一步，该仪器可以比任何现有技术更快、更低的功率和更小的物理尺寸进行频谱分析。这项科学和工程研究将与位于中国市中心的苏州纳米技术与纳米仿生研究所(SINANO)的著名实验磁化动力学研究专家曾忠明博士合作进行。这一合作将通过提供尖端的实验纳米技术设施和实验纳米技术领域的领先者来加速这一研究计划的进展。该项目的目标是开发一个原型超高速宽带频谱分析仪，使用纳米尺寸的自旋阀或磁隧道结作为自旋扭矩纳米振荡器(STNO)。该项目将利用STNO的两个重要特性：第一，它们可以作为极其灵敏的频率选择性微波探测器，第二，它们的选择性频率可以通过改变STNO偏置电流来调节。PI将开发理论和数值模型来描述受线性调制偏置电流影响的STNO微波探测器的动态特性。由于曾博士是实验自转扭矩微波检测领域的世界领先专家，而SINANO拥有丰富的实验资源，主持人和EAPSI研究员之间的合作是有充分理由的。这个项目有可能通过研究STNO在调制偏置电流存在下的锁相特性来促进对磁性纳米结构中动态磁化的理解。目前，对非等时系统中锁相的理解对许多领域的科学家提出了挑战，包括生物、化学、医学、地质学、天文学等。由于这项STNO研究提供了一个离散研究非平稳系统中同步的独特机会，其分析和实验结果可能会为物理同步机制提供新的普遍见解。该奖项由东亚和太平洋暑期学院项目资助一名美国研究生进行暑期研究，由美国国家科学基金会和中国的科技部联合资助。

This project will take important steps towards developing a new instrument that can perform spectrum analysis considerably faster, with lower power, and with a physically smaller size than any current technology. This science and engineering research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Zhongming Zeng, a noted expert in experimental magnetization dynamics research at the Suzhou Institute for Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics (SINANO) in central China. This collaboration will accelerate progress in this research program by providing access to cutting-edge experimental nanotechnology facilities and leaders in experimental nanotechnology techniques.The goal of this project will be to develop a prototype ultra-fast broadband spectrum analyzer using a nano-sized spin valve or magnetic tunnel junction as a Spin Torque Nano-Oscillator (STNO). The project will leverage two important properties of STNOs: firstly, that they can serve as extremely sensitive, frequency selective microwave detectors, and secondly that their selective frequency can be tuned by varying the STNO bias current. The PI will develop theoretical and numerical models to describe the dynamic properties of STNO microwave detectors when influenced by a linearly modulated bias current. As Dr. Zeng is a world leading specialist in experimental spin torque microwave detection and SINANO has extensive experimental resources, collaboration between the host and the EAPSI fellow is well justified. This project has the potential to advance understanding of dynamic magnetization in magnetic nanostructures through investigating the phase locking properties of an STNO in the presence of a modulated bias current. Currently, understanding of phase locking in non-isochronous systems presents a challenge to scientist in many fields, including biology, chemistry, medicine, geology, astronomy, etc. As this STNO study represents a unique opportunity to discretely study synchronization in non-stationary systems, the analytical and experimental results will likely provide new universal insights into physical synchronization mechanisms.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.