Dipolar Coupling Between Nanopillar Spin Valves and Magnetic Quantum Cellular Automata Arrays

We experimentally demonstrate magnetostatic coupling between a nanopillar pseudo spin valve structure and a linear array of dipole-coupled permalloy nanomagnets. Using magnetic force microscopy, we study the interaction between the spin valve and the first element of the array, and present evidence that the nanomagnet couples with the hard layer of the spin valve for two spin valves with distinctly different composition. Our study includes a statistical analysis of antiferromagnetic order within the linear array and provides insights into the range of behavior that these arrays can display. These results bear directly on the design of magnetic quantum cellular automata (MQCA) logic devices, showing that multilayer devices can couple to simple nanomagnets. Redesigning the hard layer of the magnetoresistive devices would make them operational as an electronic input that will allow integration of MQCA networks in complex electronic circuitry.