Patent ID: 9576631
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: G11C,H01F,H01L

Claim:
1. A magnetic device based on a spin Hall effect and a spin transfer torque effect, comprising: a three-terminal magnetic circuit that includes (1) a magnetic structure including a conductor layer located over a substrate and configured to exhibit a large spin Hall effect to react to a charge current flowing in the conductor layer to produce a spin-polarized current that is transverse to the charge current; and a magnetic free layer located over the substrate and the conductor layer to be in electrical contact with the conductor layer to receive the spin-polarized current, wherein the conductor layer has a thickness that is greater than or equal to a spin diffusion length in the conductor layer; (2) a first electrical contact formed at a first location of the conductor layer of the magnetic structure; (3) a second electrical contact formed at a second, different location of the conductor layer of the magnetic structure; and (4) a third electrical contact formed on one end of the magnetic structure that opposes another end in electrical contact with conductor layer; a first circuit coupled to the first and second electrical contacts of the three-terminal magnetic circuit to supply the charge current flowing in the conductor layer; and a second circuit coupled to the third electrical contact and either one of the first and second electrical contacts to direct a current through the magnetic structure between the third electrical contact and either one of the first and second electrical contacts.