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US 2006/0221677 A1Published application
Switchable element
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMathias Klaeui, Rolf Allenspach, Pierre-Olivier Jubert
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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMathias Klaeui, Rolf Allenspach, Pierre-Olivier Jubert
Estimating the term…
A memory element, logic element or sensor element is provided, which element comprises a switchable first magnetic component exhibiting a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic behaviour and comprising at least two magnetic domains with different magnetisation directions and a domain wall between the magnetic domains. The element has electrodes operable to induce an electric current which at least partially flows through the domain wall with a current density high enough to cause the domain wall to reversibly propagate within the magnetic component. The first magnetic component may belong to a layered system further including a second magnetic component with a fixed magnetisation and a non-magnetic spacer layer arranged between the first and second magnetic component. In such a layered system, the electrical resistance may depend on the relative orientation of the magnetisation directions of the first and second magnetic component, due to the GMR or TMR effect.
A switchable element comprising a structure that comprises a first magnetic component exhibiting a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic behaviour, the first magnetic component comprising at least two magnetic domains with different magnetisation directions and a domain wall between the magnetic domains, the element comprising current-inducing electrodes operable to induce an electric current which at least partially flows across the domain wall with a current density high enough to cause the domain wall to reversibly propagate within the first magnetic component, further comprising readout means for sensing the electrical resistance of the structure and thereby distinguishing between states with different domain wall positions.
A method of switching a switchable element comprising a first magnetic component, wherein different magnetisation states of the first magnetic component correspond to different states of the switchable element, the first magnetic component comprising two magnetic domains with different magnetisation directions and a domain wall between the magnetic domains, the method comprising the step of inducing an electric current with a current density high enough to cause the domain wall to reversibly propagate within the first magnetic component and thereby switching between different states.
An apparatus to switch a switchable element comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.