Highest grades in PhD defense for Ismael, congratulations!

Dr. Ismael Ribeiro de Assis completed his thesis on skyrmions for neuromorphic computing with summa cum laude.

Title: “Magnetic skyrmion dynamics for neuromorphic computing: A neuroscience-driven approach”

Ismael’s thesis explores whether magnetic skyrmions—topologically protected, nanoscale spin textures—can be engineered to emulate the dynamics of biological neurons. Additionally, the fundamental aspects of skyrmion physics are also explored. A central challenge in skyrmion-based devices is their transverse motion, known as the skyrmion Hall effect (SkHE). Through analytical modeling and simulations, the thesis demonstrates that the SkHE can be suppressed or act as an asset. A key result shows that the skyrmion motion in gradients exhibits acceleration and curved trajectories due to deformations. Moreover, it can replicate the behavior of an RC circuit and function as an artificial neuron, owing to the analogy with the leaky integrate-and-fire model of biological neurons. Furthermore, the biological realism is enhanced with biskyrmions, whose distinctive dynamics, identified in this research, allow them to mimic the refractory period observed in neural activity.