Hybrid hall effect device and method of operation

A memory device comprising:

• a conductive film layer having a top surface;
• a ferromagnetic layer having at least two configurable and stable magnetization orientation states corresponding to two different values of a data item stored in said device, and covering a portion of the top surface such that a fringe magnetic field having two states and configured substantially normal to the top surface can be generated by an edge portion of the ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• wherein two different electrical signals, each corresponding to a different one of the two different data values, can be generated in response to the two fringe magnetization field states acting on an electrical current flowing in the conductive film layer.

A logic device for implementing a logic function relating a combination of one or more input signals to an output signal comprising:

• a conductive film layer having a top surface;
• a ferromagnetic layer having at least two stable magnetization orientation states and covering a portion of the top surface such that a fringe magnetic field can be generated substantially normal to the top surface by an edge portion of the ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a write line for inductively coupling the ferromagnetic layer with a magnetic field generated by said input data signals on the wire, the input data signals having one of a first and a second current value, and
• an electrical output signal generated in response to the fringe magnetic field acting on an electrical current flowing in the conductive film layer, and wherein the electrical output signal relates to said input signals and to said logic function.

A method of generating an electrical signal, said signal being related to a voltage potential developed along a first axis joining a first point coupled to a first edge of a conductive layer and a second point coupled to a second edge of the conductive layer, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating an electrical current that flows along a second axis of a conductive film layer, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• generating a fringe magnetic field along an edge of a ferromagnetic layer located substantially along said first axis, such that the fringe field is coupled substantially normal to the second axis;
• and
• wherein the electrical signal is generated in response to the fringe magnetic field acting on the electrical current.

An electronic device comprising:

• a field effect transistor (FET), including a source region, a drain region, a gate and a channel;
• a ferromagnetic layer having a configurable magnetization orientation, and positioned relative to the gate and channel such that a fringe magnetic field directed substantially normal to the channel can be generated by an edge portion of the ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• wherein an electrical signal related to the magnetization orientation of the ferromagnetic layer can be generated in response to the fringe magnetic field acting on an electrical current flowing between the source and drain of the FET.

A memory device comprising:

• a field effect transistor (FET), including a source, a drain, a gate and a channel;
• a ferromagnetic layer having at least two configurable and stable magnetization orientation states corresponding to two different values of a data item stored in said device, and positioned relative to the gate and channel such that a fringe magnetic field directed substantially normal to the channel can be generated by an edge portion of the ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• wherein two different output electrical signals corresponding to the two different data values can be generated in response to the fringe magnetization field acting on an electrical current flowing in the channel.

A logic device for implementing a logic function relating a combination of one or more input signals to an output signal comprising:

• a field effect transistor (FET), including a source, a drain, a gate and a channel;
• a ferromagnetic layer having at least two configurable and stable magnetization orientation states corresponding to two different results of said logic function and positioned relative to the gate and channel such that a fringe magnetic field directed substantially normal to the channel can be generated by an edge portion of the ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a wire for inductively coupling the ferromagnetic layer with a magnetic field generated by said input data signals on the wire, the input data signals having at least a first or second current value, and
• wherein two different output electrical signals corresponding to the two different results can be generated in response to the fringe magnetization field acting on an electrical current flowing in the channel.

A method of generating an electrical signal, said signal being related to a voltage potential developed along a first axis joining a first point coupled to a first edge of a FET channel and a second point coupled to a second edge of the FET channel, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating an electrical current that flows from a source of said FET through said channel to a drain of said FET along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• generating a fringe magnetic field along an edge of a ferromagnetic layer positioned relative to the gate and channel such that the fringe magnetic field is directed substantially normal to the channel;
• and
• wherein the electrical signal is generated in response to the fringe magnetic field acting on the electrical current.