Patent ID: 7095646

Claim:
A multi-state magnetoresistive random access memory device having a resistance, the device comprising: a substrate; a first conductive line positioned on the substrate; a fixed ferromagnetic region positioned proximate to the first conductive line, the fixed ferromagnetic region having a fixed magnetic moment vector fixed in a preferred direction both with and without an applied magnetic field; a non-ferromagnetic spacer layer positioned on the fixed ferromagnetic region; a free ferromagnetic region positioned on the non-ferromagnetic spacer layer, the free ferromagnetic region having a free magnetic moment vector that is free to rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field and where the free ferromagnetic region has an anisotropy that creates more than two stable positions for the free magnetic moment vector wherein the more than two stable positions are oriented relative to the preferred direction of the fixed magnetic moment vector such that each position produces a unique resistance; and a second conductive line positioned at a non-zero angle to the first conductive line.