Patent · US Active

System with magnetically stable states and method for asserting magnetically stable state

US9224941B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
10References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2010
Grant dateDec 29, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10B61/22
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter relates to a non-volatile memory bit cell (500 or 600) for solid-state data storage, including, e.g., an elongated magnetic element (102) or “dot”. For appropriate geometry and dimensions of the dot, a two-fold, energetically-degenerate micromagnetic configuration (100 or 200) can be stabilized. Such a stable configuration can consist of two magnetic vortices (1081, 1082) and a flower state region (110). Due to energy minimization, the flower state region can be off-center (relative to a minor axis (106)) and along the major axis (104) of the dot. An electrical current (302) flowing perpendicular to the plane at, or in proximity to, the dot center can, according to current polarity, switch the configuration or state of the dot between the two specular magnetically stable configurations (e.g., a write operation). Reading of the cell state can be accomplished by using the magnetoresistive effect.

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