Low current magnetic-RAM memory operation with a high sensitive spin valve material

Abstract

Bistable bit state changes of a magnetic RAM memory cell (2/spl times/5 /spl mu/m/sup 2/) made with a highly sensitive spin valve material were performed with pulsed conductor currents I/sub W/ of 5.5 mA//spl mu/m for parallel to antiparallel and 3.0 mA//spl mu/m for the reverse switching. An evaporated spin valve of NiFe(6 nm)/Co(1/spl sim/2 nm)/Cu(5 nm)/Co(6 nm) was used for the material. Output voltage change of 1 mV was obtained for a sense current of 0.5 mA due to the MR change of 3%. A threshold of I/sub W/ for the state change was decreased 20% by applying a transverse external field of 30 Oe, which confirms the selective write operation with the coincident current selection scheme.