We propose a reconfigurable bit comparator implemented with a nanowire spin valve whose two contacts are magnetostrictive with bistable magnetization. Reference and input bits are "written" into the magnetization states of the two contacts with electrically generated strain and the spin-valve's resistance is lowered if they match. Multiple comparators can be interfaced in parallel with a magneto-tunneling junction to determine if an N-bit input stream matches an N-bit reference stream bit by bit. The system is robust against thermal noise at room temperature and a 16-bit comparator can operate at roughly 416 MHz while dissipating at most 420 aJ per cycle.
@article{arxiv.1504.00952,
title = {Energy-efficient hybrid spintronic-straintronic reconfigurable bit comparator},
author = {Ayan K. Biswas and Jayasimha Atulasimha and Supriyo Bandyopadhyay},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1504.00952},
year = {2023}
}
Comments
Submitted to Applied Physics Letters. Version 1 ignored the energy dissipation in the passive resistors since they were very high. However, high resistances increase the RC time constant associated with charging. In version 2, the RC time constant has been reduced at the expense of increased energy dissipation, but the latter is still very small in absolute terms