Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory

1. A magnetoresistive element comprising:

a storage layer having a perpendicular and variable magnetization;

a reference layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization;

a shift adjustment layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization in a direction opposite to a magnetization of the reference layer;

a first nonmagnetic layer between the storage layer and the reference layer; and

a second nonmagnetic layer between the reference layer and the shift adjustment layer,

wherein a magnetization reversal of the storage layer is performed by a spin injection writing, a switching magnetic field of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than a switching magnetic field of the storage layer, a magnetic relaxation constant of the reference layer is larger than a magnetic relaxation constant of the storage layer, and an energy barrier of a magnetization reversal of the reference layer is larger than an energy barrier of the magnetization reversal of the storage layer.

2. The element of claim 1 ,

wherein an effective magnetic anisotropy of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than an effective magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer.

3. The element of claim 1 ,

wherein the reference layer is disposed above the storage layer, and the shift adjustment layer is disposed above the reference layer.

4. The element of claim 1 ,

wherein the reference layer includes one of artificial lattice series and RE-TM alloy series.

5. The element of claim 1 ,

wherein the storage layer includes one of CoFe-X series (X is at least one of B, C, and N), ordered alloy series, artificial lattice series and disordered alloy series.

6. The element of claim 1 ,

wherein an interface layer is interposed in at least one of a space between the storage layer and the first nonmagnetic layer and a space between the reference layer and the first nonmagnetic layer.

7. The element of claim 6 ,

wherein the interface layer includes

(CO 100-x Fe x ) 100-y B y (with the proviso that x≧50 at %, and 0≦y≦30 at %).

8. A magnetic memory comprising:

the element of claim 1 ; and

a write circuit which allows a bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element, so that a relation in magnetization direction between the storage layer and the reference layer becomes parallel or antiparallel.

9. The memory of claim 8 , further comprising:

a switch element disposed right under the magnetoresistive element, and configured to selectively allow the bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element.

10. The memory of claim 9 ,

wherein the magnetoresistive element and the switch element are connected in series, to constitute a series connector including first and second terminals and a control terminal which determines an on/off-state of the switch element,

the first terminal is connected to a first bit line, the second terminal is connected to a second bit line, and the control terminal is connected to a word line.

11. A magnetoresistive element comprising:

a storage layer having a perpendicular and variable magnetization;

a reference layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization;

a shift adjustment layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization in a direction opposite to a magnetization of the reference layer; and

a nonmagnetic layer between the storage layer and the reference layer,

wherein a magnetization reversal of the storage layer is performed by a spin injection writing, a switching magnetic field of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than a switching magnetic field of the storage layer, a magnetic relaxation constant of the reference layer is larger than a magnetic relaxation constant of the storage layer, and an energy barrier of a magnetization reversal of the reference layer is larger than an energy barrier of the magnetization reversal of the storage layer.

12. The element of claim 11 ,

wherein an effective magnetic anisotropy of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than an effective magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer.

13. The element of claim 11 ,

wherein the reference layer is disposed above the storage layer, and the shift adjustment layer is disposed above the reference layer.

14. The element of claim 11 ,

wherein the reference layer includes one of artificial lattice series and RE-TM alloy series.

15. The element of claim 11 ,

wherein the storage layer includes one of CoFe-X series (X is at least one of B, C, and N), ordered alloy series, artificial lattice series and disordered alloy series.

16. The element of claim 11 ,

wherein an interface layer is interposed in at least one of a space between the storage layer and the nonmagnetic layer and a space between the reference layer and the nonmagnetic layer.

17. The element of claim 16 ,

wherein the interface layer includes

(Co 100-x Fe x ) 100-y B y (with the proviso that x≧50 at %, and 0≦y≦30 at %).

18. A magnetic memory comprising:

the element of claim 11 ; and

a write circuit which allows a bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element, so that a relation in magnetization direction between the storage layer and the reference layer becomes parallel or antiparallel.

19. The memory of claim 18 , further comprising:

a switch element disposed right under the magnetoresistive element, and configured to selectively allow the bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element.

20. The memory of claim 19 ,

wherein the magnetoresistive element and the switch element are connected in series, to constitute a series connector including first and second terminals and a control terminal which determines an on/off-state of the switch element,

the first terminal is connected to a first bit line, the second terminal is connected to a second bit line, and the control terminal is connected to a word line.

21. A magnetoresistive element comprising:

a storage layer having a perpendicular and variable magnetization;

a reference layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization;

a shift adjustment layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization in a direction opposite to a magnetization of the reference layer;

a first nonmagnetic layer between the storage layer and the reference layer; and

a second nonmagnetic layer between the reference layer and the shift adjustment layer,

wherein a magnetization reversal of the storage layer is performed by a spin injection writing, a switching magnetic field of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than a switching magnetic field of the storage layer, a magnetic relaxation constant of the reference layer is larger than a magnetic relaxation constant of the storage layer, and a write current which is necessary for a magnetization reversal of the reference layer is larger than a write current which is necessary for the magnetization reversal of the storage layer.

22. The element of claim 21 ,

wherein an effective magnetic anisotropy of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than an effective magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer.

23. The element of claim 21 ,

wherein the reference layer is disposed above the storage layer, and the shift adjustment layer is disposed above the reference layer.

24. The element of claim 21 ,

wherein the reference layer includes one of artificial lattice series and RE-TM alloy series.

25. The element of claim 21 ,

wherein the storage layer includes one of CoFe-X series (X is at least one of B, C, and N), ordered alloy series, artificial lattice series and disordered alloy series.

26. The element of claim 21 ,

wherein an interface layer is interposed in at least one of a space between the storage layer and the first nonmagnetic layer and a space between the reference layer and the first nonmagnetic layer.

27. The element of claim 26 ,

wherein the interface layer includes

(Co 100-x Fe x ) 100-y B y (with the proviso that x≧50 at %, and 0≦y≦30 at %).

28. A magnetic memory comprising:

the element of claim 21 ; and

a write circuit which allows a bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element, so that a relation in magnetization direction between the storage layer and the reference layer becomes parallel or antiparallel.

29. The memory of claim 28 , further comprising:

a switch element disposed right under the magnetoresistive element, and configured to selectively allow the bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element.

30. The memory of claim 29 ,

wherein the magnetoresistive element and the switch element are connected in series, to constitute a series connector including first and second terminals and a control terminal which determines an on/off-state of the switch element,

the first terminal is connected to a first bit line, the second terminal is connected to a second bit line, and the control terminal is connected to a word line.

31. A magnetoresistive element comprising:

a storage layer having a perpendicular and variable magnetization;

a reference layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization;

a shift adjustment layer having a perpendicular and invariable magnetization in a direction opposite to a magnetization of the reference layer; and

a nonmagnetic layer between the storage layer and the reference layer,

wherein a magnetization reversal of the storage layer is performed by a spin injection writing, a switching magnetic field of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than a switching magnetic field of the storage layer, a magnetic relaxation constant of the reference layer is larger than a magnetic relaxation constant of the storage layer, and a write current which is necessary for a magnetization reversal of the reference layer is larger than a write current which is necessary for the magnetization reversal of the storage layer.

32. The element of claim 31 ,

wherein an effective magnetic anisotropy of the reference layer is equal to or smaller than an effective magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer.

33. The element of claim 31 ,

wherein the reference layer is disposed above the storage layer, and the shift adjustment layer is disposed above the reference layer.

34. The element of claim 31 ,

wherein the reference layer includes one of artificial lattice series and RE-TM alloy series.

35. The element of claim 31 ,

wherein the storage layer includes one of CoFe-X series (X is at least one of B, C, and N), ordered alloy series, artificial lattice series and disordered alloy series.

36. The element of claim 31 ,

wherein an interface layer is interposed in at least one of a space between the storage layer and the nonmagnetic layer and a space between the reference layer and the nonmagnetic layer.

37. The element of claim 36 ,

wherein the interface layer includes

(Co 100-x Fe x ) 100-y B y (with the proviso that x≧50 at %, and 0≦y≦30 at %).

38. A magnetic memory comprising:

the element of claim 31 ; and

a write circuit which allows a bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element, so that a relation in magnetization direction between the storage layer and the reference layer becomes parallel or antiparallel.

39. The memory of claim 38 , further comprising:

a switch element disposed right under the magnetoresistive element, and configured to selectively allow the bidirectional current to flow through the magnetoresistive element.

40. The memory of claim 39 ,

wherein the magnetoresistive element and the switch element are connected in series, to constitute a series connector including first and second terminals and a control terminal which determines an on/off-state of the switch element,

the first terminal is connected to a first bit line, the second terminal is connected to a second bit line, and the control terminal is connected to a word line.