Patent ID: 8189370

Claim:
A magnetic recording element comprising: a magnetic recording layer; a multiferroic layer provided adjacent to one surface of the magnetic recording layer; a read-out layer provided adjacent to another surface of the magnetic recording layer; a first electrode layer provided on the same side of the magnetic recording layer as the multiferroic layer is provided; a second electrode layer provided on the same side of the magnetic recording layer as the read-out layer is provided; and an electrode, different from the first and second electrode layers, coupled with the magnetic recording layer, wherein the magnetic recording layer has its magnetization direction switched by way of magnetic exchange coupling that is at work between itself and the multiferroic layer, the magnetic recording element varies in electric resistance in accordance with the magnetization direction of the magnetic recording layer, magnetic information is written through rotation of the magnetization direction of the magnetic recording layer by applying an electric field to the multiferroic layer via the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and a signal from the read-out layer corresponding to the electric resistance of the magnetic recording element is obtained via the second electrode layer and the electrode coupled with the magnetic recording layer.