Patent · US Expired

Magnetization control method, information storage method, magnetic functional device, and information storage device

US6480412B1 · kind B1 · utility

45Cited by
6References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 26, 2000
Grant dateNov 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 26, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N50/10
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A potential barrier region is positioned in direct or indirect contact with a region containing a magnetic element. The region containing a magnetic body has a multi-layered structure in which two ferromagnetic layers are separated by a non-magnetic intermediate layer, for example. The potential barrier region may be composed of a metal layer and a semiconductor layer, for example, and a Schottky barrier is produced between them. Magnetization of the region containing a magnetic body is controlled by modulating the potential barrier of the potential barrier region by means of application of an electric field. By using at least one magnetization of the region containing a magnetic element, storage of information is effected.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.