Patent ID: 8546897

Claim:
A magnetic memory element comprising: a memory layer having magnetization perpendicular to a film surface and being changed in magnetization direction in response to information; a reference layer having magnetization perpendicular to the film surface and serving as a reference for information; and a spin-injection layer composed of a nonmagnetic material and provided between the memory layer and the reference layer, wherein when a current is passed through a layer structure including the memory layer, the spin-injection layer, and the reference layer, spin torque is produced so that information is stored in the memory layer by magnetization reversal induced by the spin torque; the reference layer has a structure in which at least two CoPt layers containing 20 atomic % or more and 50 atomic % or less of Pt and having a thickness of 1 nm or more and 5 nm or less are stacked with a Ru layer provided therebetween; the thickness of the Ru layer is 0.45±0.05 nm or 0.9±0.1 nm; the axis of 3-fold crystal symmetry of the CoPt layers is oriented perpendicularly to the film surface; and the reference layer includes a high spin polarization layer of 1.5 nm or less in thickness containing Co or Fe as a main component at an interface with the spin-injection layer.