MLU based accelerometer using a magnetic tunnel junction

An MLU-based accelerometer comprising:

• at least one MLU cell comprising a tunnel barrier layer between a first magnetic layer having a fixed first magnetization direction and a second magnetic layer having a second magnetization direction that can be varied;
• a proof-mass comprising a ferromagnetic material having a proof-mass magnetization inducing a proof-mass field, the proof-mass being elastically suspended such as to be able of being deflected in at least one direction when subjected to an acceleration vector, the proof-mass being magnetically coupled to said at least one MLU cell via the proof-mass field;
• a read module configured for, during a read operation, determining a magnetoresistance of each of said at least one MLU cell such as to determine an acceleration vector from the deflection of the proof-mass relative to any one of said at least one MLU cell,
• said read module comprising means for, during the read operation, switching the second magnetization in an intermediary state between parallel and antiparallel to the first magnetization such that the second magnetization varies in a substantially linear fashion with a variation in the proof-mass field;
• and means for determining a degree of alignment between the sense magnetization direction and the storage magnetization direction.