Word and bit line operation of a 1x1 μm2 superconducting vortex-based memory

Abstract

The lack of dense random access memory is one of the main bottlenecks for the creation of a digital superconducting computer. In this work we study experimentally vortex-based superconducting memory cells. Three main results are obtained. First, we test scalability and demonstrate that the cells can be straightforwardly miniaturized to submicron sizes. Second, we emphasize the importance of conscious geometrical engineering. In the studied devices we introduce an asymmetric easy track for vortex motion and show that it enables a controllable manipulation of vortex states. Finally, we perform a detailed analysis of word and bit line operation of a 1x1 μm2 cell. High-endurance, nonvolatile operation at zero magnetic field is reported. Remarkably, we observe that the combined word and bit line threshold current is significantly reduced compared to the bare word-line operation. This could greatly improve the selectivity of individual cell addressing in a multibit RAM. The achieved one square micron area is an important milestone and a significant step forward towards creation of a dense cryogenic memory.

9 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Vortex matching at 6 T in YBa${}_2$Cu${}_3$O${}_{7-\delta }$ thin films by imprinting a 20 nm-periodic pinning array with a focused helium ion beam
• Josephson vortex-based memory
• Nonvolatile Cryogenic Phase Slip Memory with Single-Shot Readout
• Numerical modelling of a vortex-based superconducting memory cell: dynamics and geometrical optimization of a fluxonic quantum dot
• Planar Josephson junctions for sensors and electronics:Different geometry, new functionality
• Quantum Mechanics of an Abrikosov Vortex in Nanofabricated Pinning Potential