Novel computational paradigms in combination with proper hardware solutions are required to overcome the limitations of our state-of-the-art computer technology, in particular regarding energy consumption. Due to the inherent complex and non-linear nature, spintronics offers the possibility towards energy-efficient, non-volatile hardware solutions for various unconventional computing schemes [1-3].

In this talk, I will discuss the possibility of using magnetic skyrmions for in particular two unconventional computing schemes – reservoir computing and stochastic computing. Reservoir computing is a computational scheme that allows to simplify spatial-temporal recognition tasks. We have shown that random skyrmion fabrics provide a suitable physical implementation of the reservoir [4,5] and allow to classify patterns via their complex resistance responses either by tracing the signal over time or by a single spatially resolved measurement [6]. Stochastic computing is a computational paradigm that allows to speed up a calculation while trading for numerical precision. Information is encoded in terms of bit-streams as a probability. A key requirement and simultaneously a challenge is that the incoming bitstreams are uncorrelated. The Brownian motion of magnetic skyrmions allows creating a device that reshuffles the bit-streams [7,8].

 [1] J. Grollier, D. Querlioz, K. Y. Camsari, KES, S. Fukami, M. D. Stiles, Nat. Electron. (2020)
[2] E. Vedmedenko, R. Kawakami, D. Sheka, ..., KES, et al., J. of Phys. D (2020)
[3] G. Finocchio, M. Di Ventra, K.Y. Camsari, KES, P. K. Amiri and Z. Zeng, arXiv:1907.04601
[4] D. Prychynenko, M. Sitte, et al, KES, Phys. Rev. Appl. 9, 014034 (2018)
[5] G. Bourianoff, D. Pinna, M. Sitte and KES, AIP Adv. 8, 055602 (2018)
[6] D. Pinna, G. Bourianoff and KES, arXiv:1811.12623
[7] D. Pinna, F. Abreu Araujo, J.-V. Kim, et al, Phys. Rev. Appl. 9, 064018 (2018)
[8] J. Zazvorka, F. Jakobs, D. Heinze, ..., KES, et al., Nat. Nanotech. 14, 658 (2019)