Patent ID: 7613036

Claim:
A memory element comprising: a word line consisted of ferromagnetic materials (ferromagnetic word line); a bit line consisted of nonmagnetic materials (nonmagnetic bit line) that crosses the ferromagnetic word line; a wiring disposed so as to be opposed to the ferromagnetic word line; and a magnetoresistive element formed between the wiring and the portion where the ferromagnetic word line and the nonmagnetic bit line cross each other, wherein the magnetoresistive element includes a first ferromagnetic layer formed on the side of the wiring, a second ferromagnetic layer formed on the side of the ferromagnetic word line, a nonmagnetic layer formed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, at the time of writing, the direction of magnetization for the second ferromagnetic layer is switched by making current flow between the ferromagnetic word line and the nonmagnetic bit line so as to accumulate spins in the nonmagnetic bit line, the spins being injected from the side of the ferromagnetic word line, and at the time of reading, the current is made to flow in the film-thickness direction of the magnetoresistive element.