Patent ID: 8519495

Claim:
A magnetic memory device comprising: a first electrode electrically coupled to a write current source, the first electrode providing a write current path along a length of the first electrode, and passing a current along the write current path generates a magnetic field; a second electrode; and magnetic tunnel junction electrically coupled to and separating the first electrode from the second electrode and the magnetic tunnel junction comprises a free magnetic layer having a magnetization orientation that is switchable between a high resistance state magnetization orientation and a low resistance state magnetization orientation, the free magnetic layer is spaced from the first electrode a distance of less than 10 nanometers, and the magnetic field switches the free magnetic layer magnetization orientation between a high resistance state magnetization orientation and a low resistance state magnetization orientation; and a permalloy layer separates the first electrode from the free magnetic layer; wherein the magnetic memory device generates the magnetic field solely by the write current passing along the first electrode.