Programmable modulation of spin-wave propagation by antiferromagnetic domain walls

Abstract

Spin waves (magnons) offer a low-energy alternative for information processing, requiring integrated control of their wave properties. This study demonstrates that a Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya-stabilized Bloch-type domain wall in an antiferromagnetic nanowire acts as a programmable, multifunctional element. It simultaneously filters spin-wave intensity and realigns polarization according to Malus's law, while providing a linearly tunable, nanosecond-stable phase shift. Setting the wall orientation to 0° or 45° yields a deterministic 0° or 180° phase difference, enabling controlled interference. This programmable phase control is directly utilized to realize a Mach–Zehnder interferometer-based XNOR logic gate. These findings establish the antiferromagnetic domain wall as an intrinsic, scalable building block for coherent magnonic circuits, opening a path toward energy-efficient wave-based computing.