Current-induced magnetic switching device and memory including the same
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorJonathan Zanhong Sun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic switching device, includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a nanoparticle having a magnetic moment and being disposed between the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a magnetic material which has a net spin polarization in its conduction band for injecting, into the nanoparticle, an electrical current including a net spin polarization for overcoming the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle upon selection of a predetermined magnitude for the electrical current.
Claims20
A magnetic switching device, comprising:
- a first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- a nanoparticle having a magnetic moment and being disposed between said first and second electrodes,
- at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode comprising a magnetic material which has a net spin polarization in its conduction band for injecting, into said nanoparticle, an electrical current including a net spin polarization for overcoming said magnetic moment of said nanoparticle upon selection of a predetermined magnitude for said electrical current,
- wherein an interaction, between the current injected into the nanoparticle and the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle, switches the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle.
A current-driven magnetic switch, comprising:
- a first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- a nanoparticle having a magnetic moment and being disposed between said first and second electrodes,
- at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode being formed of a ferromagnetic material,
- wherein an interaction, between the current injected into the nanoparticle and the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle, switches the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle.
A current-driven magnetic switch having a current-voltage characteristic, comprising:
- a nanoparticle having a magnetic moment, wherein an interaction between said magnetic moment and a spin-polarized current passing directly through said nanoparticle provides at least one critical value for said spin-polarized current, for a direction of current flow, that causes switching of the magnetic moment of the nanoparticle such that said at least one critical value of the current exists that allows the switching of the magnetic moment via a transport current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.