Patent attributes
The present invention aims to reduce heat fluctuations of a memory cell and thereby provide a stable writing operation when a magnetization reversal process not involving a reversal magnetic field is used for writing into the memory cell. The magnetic memory cell has a structure where first and second magnetization pinned terminals are connected, with a space therebetween, to one surface of a non-magnetic region, and a magnetization free terminal is connected to the other surface. Magnetization directions of the first and second magnetization pinned terminals are anti-parallel to each other. Writing is performed by controlling a polarity of a current flowing between the first and second magnetization pinned terminals through the non-magnetic region and thus reversing magnetization of the magnetization free terminal. Reading is performed by detecting a magnetic resistance attributable to a change in relative magnetization direction between the first magnetization pinned terminal and the magnetization free terminal.
