Writable magnetic memory element

US8416618B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE · FR
• COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES · FR
• UNIVERSITÉ JOSEPH FOURIER · FR
• Institut Catala de Nanotechnologia (ICN) · ES
• INSTITUCIÓ CATALANA DE RECERCA I ESTUDIS AVANCATS · ES

Inventors

• Gilles Gaudin · Meylan, FR
• Ioan Mihai Miron · Grenoble, FR
• Pietro Gambardella · Sant Cugat del Vallès, ES
• Alain Schuhl · Clamart, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 6, 2010
• Grant date: Apr 9, 2013
• Expiry date: Oct 27, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G11C11/18
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting a direction of magnetization that is parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer, said central layer being sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, wherein it includes a device for causing current to flow through the second outer layer and the central layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer, and a device for applying a magnetic field having a component along a magnetic field direction that is either parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer and the current flow direction, and wherein the magnetization direction and the magnetic field direction are mutually perpendicular.