Patent ID: 7355883

Claim:
A magnetic memory comprising: magnetoresistance effect element including: a first ferromagnetic reference layer being pinned in magnetization in a first direction; an insulating layer overlying the first ferromagnetic reference layer; a ferromagnetic recording layer overlying the insulating layer, the ferromagnetic recording layer being free in direction of magnetization, and at least one of a reading and a writing of magnetic information to the ferromagnetic recording layer being executable by flowing a current in a direction of its layer thickness; a nonmagnetic intermediate layer overlying the ferromagnetic recording layer; and a second ferromagnetic reference layer overlying the nonmagnetic intermediate layer and being pinned in magnetization in a second direction substantially opposite from the first direction, the insulating layer having a portion defining a through hole penetrating its thickness direction, the first ferromagnetic reference layer and the ferromagnetic recording layer being electrically coupled to each other via the through hole, and the through hole having an opening width no larger than 20 nm.