Hysteretic Synchronization in Spin-Torque Nanocontact Oscillators: A Micromagnetic Study

Several experiments report the presence of finite jumps in the properties of spin-torque oscillators at room temperature, such as oscillation frequency and power as functions of current or field. On the basis of micromagnetic simulations, this paper links those experimental discontinuities to the changes in the curve slope numerically observed in the absence of thermal effects. Our numerical results show the key ingredient triggering this behavior is the presence of abrupt changes in the oscillation axis of the magnetization precession. We also predict that by fixing the bias point of the oscillator near those critical regions, it is possible to observe hysteretic synchronization. This result should be a key point in the design of nanoscale on-chip phase-locked loop receivers with improved sensitivity.