Phase locking of vortex-based spin-torque nanocontact oscillators by antivortices

Magnetic vortices formed at a nanocontact undergo gyrotropic oscillations when driven by a spin-torque providing potential applications as microwave nano-oscillators; however, to increase the power output it is necessary to use an array of synchronized oscillators. Here a theory is developed for two nanocontact oscillators that are interacting through an intermediate antivortex. The confining potential for the two vortices formed at each nanocontact as well as the antivortex is the Oersted-Ampere field about each nanocontact. Solution of the Thiele equation for this system indicates that the nanocontact vortex oscillators will be phase locked over a wide range of nanocontact currents. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4790287]