Patent ID: 6844605

Claim:
A magnetic memory comprising: a magnetoresistive element which comprises a nonmagnetic layer interposed between first and second magnetic layers formed from perpendicular magnetization films; and a magnetic field generator which applies a magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element, wherein an inversion field of the second magnetic layer is larger than an inversion field of the first magnetic layer, and wherein an inversion field Hc of at least the first magnetic layer is given by equation (1), and the inversion field Hc is set smaller than a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator: Hc = 2 ⁢ ( Ku - 2 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ Ms 2 ⁢ f ) Ms , ( 1 ) where Ku and Ms are a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy constant and a saturation magnetization of the first magnetic layer, and f is a factor given by equation (2), in which T is a film thickness of the first magnetic layer, W is a width and length: f= 7×10 −13 ( T/W ) 4 −2×10 −9 ( T/W ) 3 +3×10 −6 ( T/W ) 2 −0.0019( T/W )+0.9681 (2).