Patent ID: 7486486
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: G11B,G11C

Abstract:
1. A magnetic device comprising: a first ferromagnetic layer in which magnetic layers and one or more nonmagnetic layers are alternately stacked, at least one layer of the magnetic layers having magnetization substantially fixed to a first direction, and two or more layers of the magnetic layers being ferromagnetically coupled via the nonmagnetic layers while having easy axes of magnetization parallel to a film plane; a second ferromagnetic layer having magnetization substantially fixed to a second direction; a third ferromagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, the third ferromagnetic layer having a variable direction of magnetization; a first intermediate layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer; a second intermediate layer provided between the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer; and a couple of electrodes configured to provide write current between the first and second ferromagnetic layers to cause spin-polarized electrons to act on the third ferromagnetic layer so that the direction of magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer is determined depending on a direction of the current, the ferromagnetic coupling having a strength such that a parallel magnetic alignment of the magnetic layers is maintained when the write current is passed.