Ultralow-current density spin-torque diodes with high sensitivity

Spin-torque diodes (STDs) offer the possibility of using spin torque to generate rectification voltage with promising applications in microwave detecting, energy harvesting, and neuromorphic computing. Here, we demonstrate a highly sensitive STD with ultralow current density based on a magnetic tunnel junction with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. At zero magnetic field, a high sensitivity exceeding 3785 V/W is obtained with a low current of −20 μA, corresponding to a current density of ∼105 A/cm2, which is one order lower than the previously reported. When a weak external magnetic field is applied, the sensitivity can be further increased by five times to 20 000 V/W. Furthermore, we construct an artificial neural network with STD neurons to perform recognition of handwritten digits in the Mixed National Institute of Standards and Technology database, where a produced accuracy of up to 94.92% is obtained. Our work provides a route to develop low-power consumption high-sensitivity STDs for Internet of Things applications and neuromorphic computing.