MEMORY ELEMENT UTILIZING MAGNETIZATION SWITCHING CAUSED BY SPIN ACCUMULATION AND SPIN RAM DEVICE USING THE MEMORY ELEMENT

摘要

Provided is a spin memory that has excellent durability. The spin memory includes a ferromagnetic word line, a nonmagnetic bit line that crosses the ferromagnetic word line, a wiring disposed so as to be opposed to the ferromagnetic word line, and a magnetoresistive element formed between the wiring and the portion where the ferromagnetic word line and the nonmagnetic bit line cross each other. At the time of writing, current is made to flow between the ferromagnetic word line and the nonmagnetic bit line. The direction of magnetization for a free layer of the magnetoresistive element is switched by accumulating spins in the nonmagnetic bit line while the spins are injected from the ferromagnetic word line. At the time of reading, current is made to flow between the nonmagnetic bit line and the wiring, and to flow in the film-thickness direction of the magnetoresistive element.