Patent ID: 8456898

Claim:
A device, comprising: a magnetic element including: a fixed layer having a fixed layer magnetization fixed in a direction perpendicular to the fixed layer; a free layer that is parallel with the fixed layer and has a free layer magnetization that is perpendicular to the free layer and is changeable relative to the fixed layer magnetization; a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the fixed layer and the free layer; a first interfacial layer in contact with the nonmagnetic spacer layer and between the fixed layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer, the first interfacial layer having a native magnetization which is, in the absence of coupling with other layers, parallel to the first interfacial layer and perpendicular to the fixed layer; a connecting layer between and in contact with both the first interfacial layer and the fixed layer, the connecting layer being structured (i) to induce perpendicular anisotropy in the first interfacial layer and (ii) to provide magnetic coupling between the fixed layer and the first interfacial layer, such that (i) the induced perpendicular anisotropy together with (ii) the magnetic coupling change the magnetization of the first interfacial layer from being parallel to the first interfacial layer to being perpendicular to the first interfacial layer; and a second interfacial layer between and in contact with both the non-magnetic spacer layer and the free layer, the second interfacial layer being magnetically coupled with the free layer.