Patent ID: 8284594
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive structure comprising: a free ferromagnetic layer; an antiferromagnetic layer coupled to the free ferromagnetic layer, wherein a free side of the magnetoresistive structure comprises the free ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned layer; and a nonmagnetic metallic layer at least partly between the free side and the pinned layer; wherein the antiferromagnetic layer provides uniaxial anisotropy to the free ferromagnetic layer of the free side; wherein a resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer is dependent upon a direction of a magnetic moment of the ferromagnetic layer; wherein the pinned layer comprises a pinned ferromagnetic layer and a pinned-side antiferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and wherein a first resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being parallel to a direction of a magnetic moment of the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a second resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being anti-parallel to the direction of the magnetic moment of the pinned ferromagnetic layer, wherein the first resistance is lower than the second resistance.