Patent ID: 8378438
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11C,H01F,H01L

Abstract:
1. A magnetic element comprising: a pinned layer, the pinned layer being magnetic and having at least one pinned layer magnetic moment; a spacer layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic; a free layer having a free layer magnetization, at least one free layer easy axis, and at least one hard axis, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, the at least one pinned layer magnetic moment being aligned substantially parallel to the at least one easy axis; and a stability structure including a plurality of magnetic layers, the free layer residing between the spacer layer and the stability structure, the stability structure being configured to decrease a first magnetic energy of a first configuration with respect to a stability structure-free magnetic energy without decreasing a second magnetic energy of a second configuration, the first configuration corresponding to the free layer magnetization being aligned with the at least one easy axis, the second configuration corresponding to the free layer magnetization being aligned with the at least one hard axis, the stability structure-free magnetic energy corresponding to the first configuration for the magnetic element including the free layer, the pinned layer, and the spacer layer and not including the stability structure, wherein the stability structure is free of magnetic pinning layers adjoining the plurality of magnetic layers; wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched to each of a plurality of states when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.