Magnetoresistance effect device, and magnetoresistance effect type head, memory device, and amplifying device using the same
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi Sakakima, Yousuke Irie, Mitsuo Satomi, Yasuhiro Kawawake
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Abstract
A magnetoresistance effect device of the invention includes: a substrate; and a multilayer structure formed on the substrate. The multilayer structure includes a hard magnetic film, a soft magnetic film, and a non-magnetic metal film for separating the hard magnetic film from the soft magnetic film. The magnetization curve of the hard magnetic film has a good square feature, and the direction of a magnetization easy axis of the hard magnetic film substantially agrees to the direction of a magnetic field to be detected.
Claims22
A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
- a magnetoresistive change portion including a first magnetic film, a second magnetic film, and a non-magnetic metal film for separating the first magnetic film from the second magnetic film;
- and
- conductive lines for allowing a first current for recording information and a second current for reading-out information to produce therethrough, magnetic fields which are respectively produced by the first current and the second current affecting the magnetoresistive change portion,
- wherein a magnetization curve of the first magnetic film has a good square feature, the first magnetic film having a coercive force capable of inverting a magnetization of the first magnetic film by the magnetic field produced by the first current but incapable of inverting the magnetization of the first magnetic film by the magnetic field produced by the second current, the second magnetic film having a coercive force capable of inverting a magnetization of the second magnetic film by the magnetic field produced by the second current, whereby information recorded on the memory device is nondestructively read out.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.