Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Masashi Michijima

Hidekazu Hayashi

Ryoji Minakata

A magnetoresistive device has a first magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer, with the nonmagnetic layer being interposed between the first and second magnetic layers, the first and second magnetic layers having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Either the first magnetic layer or the second magnetic layer is made of a ferrimagnetic that has a compensation point around a room temperature.

Magnetoresistive device and magnetic memory using the same

A closed magnetic circuit layer is formed on a ferromagnetic layer serving as a memory layer of a magnetic tunnel junction device, in such a manner that a closed magnetic circuit layer is formed via a metal layer with a spacing at a central portion. With this structure, stable magnetization state can be ensured even for a miniaturized pattern.

Magnetic tunnel junction device, magnetic memory adopting the same, magnetic memory cell and access method of the same

A magnetic memory element has a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer disposed between these ferromagnetic layers. The non-magnetic layer has an electrical characteristic that is changeable depending on an external magnetic field applied to the non-magnetic layer.

Magnetic memory element and magnetic memory using the same

A magnetic tunnel junction element includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer acting as a memory layer, and a first insulating layer sandwiched between the first and second magnetic layers. Further, the magnetic tunnel junction element includes a third magnetic layer on a side of the second magnetic layer opposite from the first insulating layer. This third magnetic layer constitutes a closed magnetic circuit together with the second magnetic layer.

Magnetic tunnel junction element and magnetic memory using the same

In a magnetic memory of the present invention which includes a magnetic memory element composed of at least a first ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked, a third ferromagnetic layer is provided via at least one conductor layer, on one side of the second ferromagnetic layer the other side being closer to the non-magnetic layer. The magnetic memory elements can thereby be provided via a smaller interval in-between, thereby realizing a magnetic memory having higher density than a conventional magnetic memory. Further, the first conductor layer for supplying a current to provide magnetization information can be disposed in the vicinity of the second ferromagnetic layer as a storage layer, thereby providing a magnetic memory capable of generating magnetic poles sufficient to reverse magnetization even by a small current, and low power consumption.

Growing community of inventors

Soraku-gun, Japan

Masashi Michijima