Investigation of a Nonlinear XNOR Logic Gate Based on an Induced Nonlinear Phase Shift of Spin Waves

Introduction. Recent years have seen a growing interest in studying the nonlinear properties of spin waves. Nonlinear phenomena, such as envelope solitons, nonlinear frequency shifts of intense spin waves, and etc., have attracted particular attention. However, a number of important issues remain to be underexplored, including the problem of induced nonlinear phase shift of spin waves. The relevance of this problem is related to the need to develop spin-wave logic gates that could be controlled by changing the spin wave phase.Aim. To study a nonlinear XNOR logic gate whose operation is based on the induced nonlinear phase shift of a spin wave.Materials and methods. An original theory is used to simulate the frequency response of a nonlinear XNOR logic gate. The operating principle of the nonlinear XNOR logic gate is substantiated. The possibility of implementing the nonlinear XNOR logic gate in a circuit similar to a spin-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer is experimentally demonstrated.Results. An experimental study of the induced nonlinear phase shift of operating signals incident on identical nonlinear spin-wave phase shifters located in the arms of the logic gate was carried out. It is shown that an increase in the pump signal power up to 60 mW, supplied to nonlinear phase shifters, changes the induced nonlinear phase shift of the operating signal by more than 180°. Hence, nonlinear phase shifters can be used for constructing spin-wave logic gates. In addition, the operating principle of a spin-wave logic gate was experimentally studied. It is shown that the XNOR logical function is implemented in the low-frequency part of the device’s frequency response characteristic.Conclusion. Numerical simulation of the characteristics of a nonlinear XNOR logic gate based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer circuit was carried out. It is shown that its logical functions are implemented due to the effect of an induced nonlinear phase shift of spin waves in nonlinear phase shifters located in different arms of the logic gate.