200 results about "Magnetization reversal" patented technology

A magnetic memory device for reading and writing a data state comprises at least three terminals including first, second, and third terminals. The magnetic memory device also includes a spin transfer (ST) driven element, disposed between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a readout element, disposed between the second terminal and the third terminal. The ST driven element includes a first free layer, and a readout element includes a second free layer. A magnetization direction of the second free layer in the readout element indicates a data state. A magnetization reversal of the first free layer within the ST driven element magnetostatically causes a magnetization reversal of the second free layer in the readout element, thereby recording the data state.

A transmitter antenna assembly for transient electromagnetic well logging instrument comprises an antenna coil coupled with a current source and a magnetic core having residual magnetization. Switching current in the antenna coil results in magnetization reversal in the magnetic core and change in magnetic dipole moment of the antenna. After the magnetization reversal is complete the current is removed and the new vector of magnetic dipole of the antenna maintains constant (steady-state phase of the antenna dipole) due to magnetic hysteresis of magnetic material employed for the magnetic core. No power expenditure during the steady-state phase of the magnetic dipole facilitates highly effective generation and fast switching of a large magnetic dipole. The magnetic core also serves as a shield between the antenna coil and any conductive part of the antenna assembly. Embodiments suitable for measurement-while-drilling or measurements through casing make use of residual magnetization of magnetic drill collar or magnetic casing respectively.

A magnetic memory is provided with a high-output memory cell capable of switching and magnetization reversal operations by means of two terminals. There is formed an MIS junction laminated layer comprising a diode, a spin transfer torque magnetization reversal induction layer, and a tunnel magnetoresistive device. A bit line and a word line are connected to the laminated layer.

A spin injection device capable of spin injection magnetization reversal at low current density, a magnetic apparatus using the same, and magnetic thin film using the same, whereby the spin injection device (14) including a spin injection part (1) comprising a spin polarization part (9) including a ferromagnetic fixed layer (26) and an injection junction part (7) of nonmagnetic layer, and a ferromagnetic free layer (27) provided in contact with the spin injection part (1) is such that in which the nonmagnetic layer (7) is made of either an insulator (12) or a conductor (25), a nonmagnetic layer (28) is provided on the surface of the ferromagnetic free layer (27), electric current is flown in the direction perpendicular to the film surface of the spin injection device (14), and the magnetization of the ferromagnetic free layer (27) is reversed. This is applicable to such various magnetic apparatuses and magnetic memory devices as super gigabit large capacity, high speed, non-volatile MRAM and the like.

The present invention provides a spin-injection magnetoresistance effect element that can avoid use of a large writing current and allows use of a large reading current. The spin-injection magnetoresistance effect element includes (A) a magnetization reversal layer that has a first face and a second face and stores information, (B) a first magnetization reference layer that is disposed near one end of the magnetization reversal layer with the intermediary of a first nonmagnetic film between the layers, and is magnetized in a first direction, (C) a second magnetization reference layer that is disposed near the other end of the magnetization reversal layer with the intermediary of a second nonmagnetic film between the layers, and is magnetized in a second direction that is the opposite direction of the first direction, (D) a first electrode that is electrically coupled to the first magnetization reference layer, (E) a second electrode that is electrically coupled to the second magnetization reference layer, and (F) a third electrode that is disposed in a manner of facing the second face of the magnetization reversal layer with an insulating film between the third electrode and the magnetization reversal layer.

The present invention is a memory circuit that includes a bistable circuit that stores data, and a ferromagnetic tunnel junction device that nonvolatilely stores the data in the bistable circuit according to a magnetization direction of a ferromagnetic electrode free layer, the data nonvolatilely stored in the ferromagnetic tunnel junction device being able to be restored in the bistable circuit. According to the present invention, writing data to and reading data from the bistable circuit can be performed at high speed. In addition, even though a power source is shut down, it is possible to restore data nonvolatilely stored in the ferromagnetic tunnel junction devices to the bistable circuit.

A magnetic memory includes: a base layer; a magnetization free layer; a barrier layer; and a magnetization reference layer. The magnetization free layer, with which the base layer is covered, has invertible magnetization and is magnetized approximately uniformly. The barrier layer, with which the magnetization free layer is covered, is composed of material different from material of the base layer. The magnetization reference layer is arranged on the barrier layer and has a fixed magnetization. When the magnetization of the magnetization free layer is inverted, a first writing current is made to flow from one end to the other end of the magnetization free layer in an in-plane direction without through the magnetization reference layer.

A voltage-controlled magnetization reversal writing type Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) device. The MRAM device includes electrically conductive base electrodes, a piezoelectric layer, an insulation layer, a free ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a pinned ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and two electrically conductive reading lines. The electrically conductive base electrodes are provided with two writing lines having positive and negative electrodes. The left and right surfaces of piezoelectric layer are disposed to abut the writing lines of the electrically conductive base electrodes, respectively. The insulation layer is disposed beneath the piezoelectric layer and is formed to separate the positive and negative electrodes. The free ferromagnetic layer is disposed on the insulation layer. The nonmagnetic layer is disposed on the free ferromagnetic layer. The pinned ferromagnetic layer is disposed on the nonmagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer is disposed on the pinned ferromagnetic layer. The two electrically conductive reading lines are formed to be perpendicular to each other.

Between the value of an electric current and the supply duration for which the electric current is supplied that cause magnetization reversal, there is the relation of monotonous decrease. This means that, as the supply duration is shortened, the threshold current value for causing the magnetization reversal is larger. Therefore, in terms of suppressing occurrence of read disturb, the read current supply duration may be shortened to increase the threshold value of the current causing the magnetization reversal and thereby ensure a sufficient read disturb margin. Therefore, the read current supply duration may be shortened relative to the write current supply duration ensure the read disturb margin and suppress occurrence of read disturb.

A concave portion is formed on the end surface of a main magnet pole layer on the trailing side. A convex portion is formed on the end surface of a return yoke layer on the leading side, which opposes the concave portion formed on the end surface of the main magnet pole layer on the trailing side, and the distance (gap length) between the main magnet pole layer and the return yoke layer in the direction of the film thickness is constant. Consequently, the magnetic field generating from the main magnet pole layer toward the recording medium is appropriately prevented from isotropically spreading in the trailing direction, and the width of magnetization reversal between the recording patterns, which are magnetized reversely from each other, can be reduced over the entire area.

It is possible to provide a magnetoresistive effect element and a magnetic storage which has thermal stability even if it is made fine and in which the magnetization in the magnetic recording layer can be inverted at a low current density. A magnetoresistive effect element includes: a magnetization pinned layer having a magnetization pinned in a direction; a magnetization free layer of which magnetization direction is changeable; a tunnel barrier layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer; a first antiferromagnetic layer provided on the opposite side of the magnetization pinned layer from the tunnel barrier layer; and a second antiferromagnetic layer which is provided on the opposite side of the magnetization free layer from the tunnel barrier layer and which is thinner in thickness than the first antiferromagnetic layer, wherein the direction of the magnetization of the free magnetization layer can be converted by pouring an electron whose polarity is changed in spin polarization into the free magnetization layer.

A magnetoresistance effect element is also located between second wiring and common wiring. The magnetoresistance effect element is electrically connected to the second wiring without a spin filter. When a reading current is supplied between the second wiring for supplying a reading current and the common wiring, since this is not supplied via a spin filter, no spin polarized current is supplied into the magnetoresistance effect element, so that it becomes difficult to magnetization-reverse a magnetosensitive layer. Even in a structure where, in order to improve recording density, the magnetosensitive layer is reduced in area so as to lower a writing current, no magnetization reversal occurs due to a supply of the reading current, and information can be read out without making the reading current considerably small in comparison with the writing current.

The present invention is directed to-carrying out a high density magnetic recording to a material having a large coercive force by perpendicular magnetic recording head.

By giving a patterning onto a soft magnetic under layer of a perpendicular two-layer recording media in sync with a period of a recording bit, a magnetic field from a write head can be allowed to converge to a soft magnetic column. Therefore, a magnetization reversal of the magnetic recording media material having a large anisotropic constant becomes possible, and then a high density magnetic recording can be achieved.

A channel layer is deposited on a first impurity layer, a second impurity layer is deposited on the channel layer, a gate electrode is placed to surround a circumference of the channel layer with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, a spin-injection magnetization-reversal element is deposited on the second impurity layer, a bit line is placed on the spin-injection magnetization-reversal element, and a word line is placed on the bit line to be electrically connected to the gate electrode.

Embodiments of the present invention help allow accurate control of the magnetization reversal in a magnetic recording layer in small reversal units, whereby high-density recording can be achieved. According to one embodiment, by forming an intermediate layer having a granular structure similar to that of the magnetic recording layer below the magnetic recording layer, a continuous crystal grain boundary is formed at the interface between the magnetic recording layer and the intermediate layer, thereby preventing incomplete formation of the crystal grain boundary found in the initial growth layer of the magnetic recording layer. The intermediate layer comprises a non-magnetic alloy comprising Co and Cr as its main components and an oxide such as Al, Cr, Hf. Mg, Nb, Si, Ta, Ti and Zr. Further, the average content of the oxygen element in the intermediate layer is in the range from 6 at % to 20 at %.

A spin injection magnetization reversal device is disclosed which inhibits an increase in resistance to enable multi-valued data recording. A ferromagnetic fixed layer and n groups each including a ferromagnetic free layer and an isolation layer are disclosed. The groups are disposed from the group including the first ferromagnetic free layer provided on the ferromagnetic fixed layer to the group including the n-th ferromagnetic free layer in the order. Each of the ferromagnetic free layers is preferably formed of one of a CoCrPt alloy, a CoCr alloy and a CoPt alloy with Pt or Cu concentration therein made monotonically decreased from the concentration in the first ferromagnetic free layer to that in the n-th ferromagnetic free layer.

A perpendicular magnetic recording system has a write head having a main coil (the write coil) and main pole (the write pole) that directs write flux in a direction perpendicular to the recording layer in the magnetic recording medium, and a transverse auxiliary pole (TAP) that injects auxiliary magnetic flux into the write pole at an angle to the primary or perpendicular axis of the write pole. The additional flux from the TAP, which is injected non-parallel to the primary magnetization of the write pole, exerts a torque on the magnetization of the write pole, thereby facilitating magnetization reversal of the write pole. The TAP is coupled to the main coil but not electrically connected to it. A separate passive coil, not electrically connected to the main coil, may be wrapped as a loop around the main pole and the TAP. Alternatively, the TAP may be located near one of the electrically conductive turns of the main coil.

The present invention provides a high density magnetic recording apparatus capable of performing a magnetic write to a magnetic memory cell therein by directly applying current into the memory cell without using external magnetic field; and performing a record read from the cell structure. To reduce the current density required for magnetization reversal by spin injection, the magnetic recording medium is irradiated with laser light so as to heat a magnetic memory cell to a temperature higher than the room temperature but lower than the Curie temperature. While the coercivity of the magnetic recording medium is effectively lowered, magnetic write operation is performed by applying external current into the magnetic memory cell.

A perpendicular magnetic recording system has a write head having a main coil (the write coil) and main pole (the write pole) that directs write flux in a direction perpendicular to the recording layer in the magnetic recording medium, and an auxiliary coil and auxiliary pole that injects magnetic flux into the write pole at an angle to the primary or perpendicular axis of the write pole. The additional flux from the auxiliary pole, which is injected non-parallel to the primary magnetization of the write pole, exerts a relatively large torque on the magnetization of the write pole, thereby facilitating magnetization reversal of the write pole. Electrical circuitry is connected to the main coil and the auxiliary coil to generate the auxiliary flux simultaneous with the switching of the magnetization of the write pole.