Magnetic element and nonvolatile memory device

A magnetic element comprising:

• a first conductive layer;
• a second conductive layer;
• an intermediate interconnection provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
• a first stacked unit provided between the first conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection, the first stacked unit including:
• a first ferromagnetic layer, a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a first direction;
• a second ferromagnetic layer stacked with the first ferromagnetic layer along a stacking direction from the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer, a direction of a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• and
• a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a second stacked unit provided between the second conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection, the second stacked unit including:
• a third ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• a fourth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the third ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a magnetization of the fourth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a second direction;
• and
• a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the third ferromagnetic layer and the fourth ferromagnetic layer,
• a direction of magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being configured to be determined to a direction in accordance with a direction of a current by causing an electron whose spin is polarized by passing the current through the first stacked unit and the second stacked unit along the stacking direction to act on the second ferromagnetic layer and by causing a magnetic field generated from a precession of the magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer to act on the second ferromagnetic layer,
• wherein a circle-equivalent diameter of a cross-sectional shape of the third ferromagnetic layer when cut in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction is not more than 35 nanometers and a thickness of the third ferromagnetic layer is not less than 0.5 nanometers and not more than 3.5 nanometers.

A nonvolatile memory device comprising:

• a magnetic element including:
• a first conductive layer;
• a second conductive layer;
• an intermediate interconnection provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
• a first stacked unit provided between the first conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection, the first stacked unit including:
• a first ferromagnetic layer, a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a first direction;
• a second ferromagnetic layer stacked with the first ferromagnetic layer along a stacking direction from the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer, a direction of a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• and
• a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a second stacked unit provided between the second conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection, the second stacked unit including:
• a third ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• a fourth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the third ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a magnetization of the fourth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a second direction;
• and
• a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the third ferromagnetic layer and the fourth ferromagnetic layer,
• a direction of magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being configured to be determined to a direction in accordance with a direction of a current by causing an electron whose spin is polarized by passing the current through the first stacked unit and the second stacked unit along the stacking direction to act on the second ferromagnetic layer and by causing a magnetic field generated from a precession of the magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer to act on the second ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a control circuit unit directly or indirectly connected to the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the intermediate interconnection,
• the control circuit unit passing a current between the first conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection in a read operation reading out data stored in the magnetic element, the current having a value larger than a current flowing between the second conductive layer and the intermediate interconnection in the read operation.

A nonvolatile memory device comprising:

• a plurality of bit lines;
• a plurality of word lines;
• and
• a plurality of memory cells each provided at an intersection of each of the bit lines and each of the word lines,
• each of the memory cells including:
• a first stacked unit;
• a second stacked unit;
• an intermediate interconnection provided between the first stacked unit and the second stacked unit;
• and
• a selection transistor including a gate, a current being able to be passed through the selection transistor by switching the gate to ON,
• the first stacked unit including:
• a first ferromagnetic layer, a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a first direction;
• a second ferromagnetic layer stacked with the first ferromagnetic layer along a stacking direction from the first stacked unit toward the second stacked unit, a direction of a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• and
• a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer,
• the second stacked unit including:
• a third ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• a fourth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the third ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a magnetization of the fourth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a second direction;
• and
• a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the third ferromagnetic layer and the fourth ferromagnetic layer,
• each of the memory cells having a function of storing data by determining a direction of the magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer to a direction in accordance with a direction of a current by causing an electron whose spin is polarized by passing the current in a direction substantially perpendicular to layer surfaces of the first and second stacked units to act on the second ferromagnetic layer and by causing a magnetic field generated from a precession of the magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer to act on the second ferromagnetic layer,
• each of the bit lines including a first, a second and a third bit interconnection,
• each of the first, the second and the third bit interconnections being connected to one of the memory cells provided at the intersection of each of the bit lines and each of the word lines,
• the first bit interconnection being directly or indirectly connected to a first end of the first stacked unit of the one of the memory cells on a side opposite to the intermediate interconnection,
• the second bit interconnection being directly or indirectly connected to a second end of the second stacked unit of the one of the memory cells on a side opposite to the intermediate interconnection,
• the third bit interconnection being directly or indirectly connected to the intermediate interconnection of the one of the memory cells,
• the selection transistor of the one of the memory cells being disposed at least one of between the first bit interconnection and the first end and between the second bit interconnection and the second end, and
• the one of the word lines being connected to the gate of the selection transistor of the one of the memory cells.

A nonvolatile memory device comprising:

• a first magnetic element including:
• a first stacked unit including:
• a first ferromagnetic layer, a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a first direction;
• a second ferromagnetic layer stacked with the first ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• and
• a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer;
• a second stacked unit stacked with the first stacked unit along a stacking direction from the first ferromagnetic layer toward the second ferromagnetic layer, the second stacked unit including:
• a third ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• a fourth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the third ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a magnetization of the fourth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a second direction;
• and
• a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the third ferromagnetic layer and the fourth ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a first intermediate interconnection provided between the first stacked unit and the second stacked unit,
• a direction of the magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer being configured to be determined to a direction in accordance with a direction of a current by causing an electron whose spin is polarized by passing the current through the first stacked unit and the second stacked unit along the stacking direction to act on the second ferromagnetic layer and by causing a magnetic field generated from a precession of the magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer to act on the second ferromagnetic layer;
• a second magnetic element juxtaposed to the first magnetic element along a direction orthogonal to the stacking direction, the second magnetic element including:
• a third stacked unit including:
• a fifth ferromagnetic layer, a magnetization of the fifth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a third direction;
• a sixth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the fifth ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a direction of a magnetization of the sixth ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• and
• a third nonmagnetic layer provided between the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer;
• a fourth stacked unit stacked with the third stacked unit along the stacking direction, the fourth stacked unit including:
• a seventh ferromagnetic layer, a direction of a magnetization of the seventh ferromagnetic layer being variable;
• an eighth ferromagnetic layer stacked with the seventh ferromagnetic layer along the stacking direction, a magnetization of the eighth ferromagnetic layer being fixed in a fourth direction;
• and
• a fourth nonmagnetic layer provided between the seventh ferromagnetic layer and the eighth ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a second intermediate interconnection provided between the third stacked unit and the fourth stacked unit,
• a direction of the magnetization of the sixth ferromagnetic layer being configured to be determined to a direction in accordance with a direction of a current by causing an electron whose spin is polarized by passing the current through the third stacked unit and the fourth stacked unit along the stacking direction to act on the sixth ferromagnetic layer and by causing a magnetic field generated from a precession of the magnetization of the seventh ferromagnetic layer to act on the sixth ferromagnetic layer;
• a first bit interconnection directly or indirectly connected to a first end of the first stacked unit on a side opposite to the first intermediate interconnection;
• a second bit interconnection directly or indirectly connected to a second end of the second stacked unit on a side opposite to the first intermediate interconnection;
• a third bit interconnection directly or indirectly connected to the first intermediate interconnection and the second intermediate interconnection;
• a fourth bit interconnection directly or indirectly connected to a third end of the third stacked unit on a side opposite to the second intermediate interconnection;
• a fifth bit interconnection directly or indirectly connected to a fourth end of the fourth stacked unit on a side opposite to the second intermediate interconnection;
• a first selection transistor disposed at least one of between the first bit interconnection and the first end and between the second bit interconnection and the second end;
• a second selection transistor disposed at least one of between the fourth bit interconnection and the third end and between the fifth bit interconnection and the fourth end;
• a first word line directly or indirectly connected to a gate of the first selection transistor;
• and
• a second word line directly or indirectly connected to a gate of the second selection transistor.