Microscaled Tunable Magnonic RF Phase Shifters

Abstract

Tunable, microscopic, and energy-efficient solutions for radio-frequency (RF) signal manipulation in the GHz regime are a key technology for efficient communication and sensing applications. Spin waves offer micrometer wavelengths at GHz frequencies, combined with strong magnetic-field tunability, making them inherently well-suited for tunable analog signal processing. Here, we demonstrate a novel concept: a micron-scale tunable RF phase shifter based on the wavelength shift of propagating spin waves. High energy efficiency is achieved by using the stray field of a micromagnet on a piezoelectrically actuated MEMS cantilever to locally induce this shift. The device shows a phase shift of more than 360° at a center frequency of 6.1 GHz using a phase-shifting area of less than 0.02mm$^2$. By changing the magnetic bias field, its functionality is experimentally confirmed over a range of center frequencies from 3 GHz to 8.2 GHz, and simulations show its applicability up to 14 GHz. A system-level characterization of an embedded device version demonstrates the qualification of magnonic phase shifters for highly integrated RF systems.