The existence of nonlinearity in a spintronic device is indispensable for spin-based complex signal-processing operations. Here we measure the presence of electron-spin-dependent nonlinearity in a van der Waals heterostructure spintronic device. We further demonstrate its application for basic analog operations such as essential elements of amplitude modulation and frequency sum (heterodyne detection) on pure spin signals, by exploiting the second-harmonic generation of the spin signal due to nonlinear spin injection. Furthermore, we show that the presence of nonlinearity in the spin signal has an amplifying effect on the energy-dependent conductivity-induced nonlinear spin-to-charge conversion effect. The interaction of the two spin-dependent nonlinear effects in the spin-transport channel leads to a highly efficient modulation of the spin-to-charge conversion effect, which in principle can also be measured without using a ferromagnetic detector. These effects are measured both at room and low temperatures, and are suitable for their applications as nonlinear circuit elements in the fields of advanced spintronics and spin-based neuromorphic computing.

中文翻译：

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具有范德华异质结构的非线性模拟自旋电子学

自旋电子器件中非线性的存在对于基于自旋的复杂信号处理操作是必不可少的。在这里，我们测量范德华异质结构自旋电子器件中电子自旋相关的非线性的存在。通过利用由于非线性自旋注入而产生的自旋信号的二次谐波生成，我们进一步证明了其在基本模拟操作中的应用，例如振幅调制和频率和（外差检测）的基本元素。此外，我们表明自旋信号中非线性的存在对依赖于能量的电导率引起的非线性自旋-电荷转换效应具有放大作用。自旋传输通道中两个自旋相关的非线性效应的相互作用导致自旋至电荷转换效应的高效调制，原则上也可以在不使用铁磁检测器的情况下对其进行测量。这些效应在室温和低温下均可测量，并且适合作为高级自旋电子学和基于自旋的神经形态计算领域中的非线性电路元件应用。