The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 02, 1999
Magnetic element, magnetic memory device, magnetoresistance effect head, and magnetic storage system
Koichiro Inomata, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Yoshiaki Saito, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Shinichi Nakamura, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
A magnetic element which has a laminate film composed of ferromagnetic-dielectric mixed layer and dielectric layer laminated alternately, said ferromagnetic-dielectric mixed layer being a mixture of a ferromagnetic material having coercive force and a dielectric material, with the volume of the former being equal to or larger than that of the latter. The ferromagnetic-dielectric mixed layer has the ferromagnetic layer which is arranged close thereto with a dielectric layer interposed between them. Tunnel current flows between the ferromagnetic-dielectric mixed layer. The magnetic layer with a smaller coercive force has its spin switched so that the magnetoresistance effect is produced. The magnetic element having a ferromagnetic tunnel junction is designed such that the rate of change in magnetoresistance increases and the resistance of the element decreases and the rate of change in magnetoresistance varies less depending on voltage.