4020 results about "Spins" patented technology

A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes pinned, spacer, free, and spin barrier layers. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The free layer resides between the spacer layer and the spin barrier layer. The spin barrier layer is configured to reduce an outer surface contribution to a damping constant of the free layer. In one aspect, the spin barrier layer has a high areal resistance and may substantially eliminate spin pumping induced damping. In another aspect, the magnetic element also includes a spin accumulation layer between the spin barrier and free layers. The spin accumulation layer has a high conductivity, preferably being metallic, and may have a long spin diffusion length.

A spin valve structure for a spintronic device is disclosed and includes a composite seed layer made of at least Ta and a metal layer having a fcc(111) or hcp(001) texture to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in an overlying (Co / Ni)x multilayer. The (Co / Ni)x multilayer is deposited by a low power and high Ar pressure process to avoid damaging Co / Ni interfaces and thereby preserving PMA. As a result, only a thin seed layer is required. PMA is maintained even after annealing at 220° C. for 10 hours. Examples of GMR and TMR spin valves are described and may be incorporated in spin transfer oscillators and spin transfer MRAMs. The free layer is preferably made of a FeCo alloy including at least one of Al, Ge, Si, Ga, B, C, Se, Sn, or a Heusler alloy, or a half Heusler alloy to provide high spin polarization and a low magnetic damping coefficient.

The present invention generally relates to the field of magnetic devices for memory cells that can serve as non-volatile memory. More specifically, the present invention describes a high speed and low power method by which a spin polarized electrical current can be used to control and switch the magnetization direction of a magnetic region in such a device. The magnetic device comprises a pinned magnetic layer with a fixed magnetization direction, a free magnetic layer with a free magnetization direction, and a read-out magnetic layer with a fixed magnetization direction. The pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer are separated by a non-magnetic layer, and the free magnetic layer and the read-out magnetic layer are separated by another non-magnetic layer. The magnetization directions of the pinned and free layers generally do not point along the same axis. The non-magnetic layers minimize the magnetic interaction between the magnetic layers. A current is applied to the device to induce a torque that alters the magnetic state of the device so that it can act as a magnetic memory for writing information. The resistance, which depends on the magnetic state of the device, is measured to thereby read out the information stored in the device.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes first pinned, spacer, free, spin barrier, and second pinned layers. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The free layer resides between the spacer and spin barrier layers. The spin barrier layer is between the free and second pinned layers. The spin barrier layer is configured to reduce an outer surface contribution to the free layer damping constant. In one aspect, the spin barrier layer has a high areal resistance and may substantially eliminate spin pumping induced damping. In another aspect, the magnetic element also includes a spin accumulation layer between the spin barrier and free layers. The spin accumulation layer has a high conductivity and may have a long spin diffusion length.

A method and system include providing a pinned layer, a free layer, and a spacer layer between the pinned and free layers. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic. The magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. In one aspect, the method and system include providing a spin engineered layer adjacent to the free layer. The spin engineered layer is configured to more strongly scatter majority electrons than minority electrons. In another aspect, at least one of the pinned, free, and spacer layers is a spin engineered layer having an internal spin engineered layer configured to more strongly scatter majority electrons than minority electrons. In this aspect, the magnetic element may include another pinned layer and a barrier layer between the free and pinned layers.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element is disclosed. The method and system include providing a free layer, a spacer layer, and a pinned layer. The free layer is ferromagnetic and has a free layer magnetization. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and resides between the pinned and free layers. The pinned layer includes first and second ferromagnetic layers having first and second magnetizations, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a spin depolarization layer. Residing between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, the nonmagnetic spacer layer is conductive and promotes antiparallel orientations between the first and second magnetizations. The spin depolarization layer is configured to depolarize at least a portion of a plurality of electrons passing through it. The magnetic element is also configured to allow the free layer magnetization to change direction due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element is disclosed. The magnetic element include providing a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer. The method and system also include providing a heat assisted switching layer and a spin scattering layer between the free layer and the heat assisted switching layer. The spin scattering layer is configured to more strongly scatter majority electrons than minority electrons. The heat assisted switching layer is for improving a thermal stability of the free layer when the free layer is not being switched. Moreover, the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

An apparatus comprises a write pole, a return pole, a wire positioned between the write pole and the return pole, a first free layer, and a first interlayer positioned between the write pole and the first free layer.

A rotating cutting head catheter for passage through chronic total occlusions or other refractory atherosclerotic plaque from diseased arteries is disclosed. The catheter's rotating cutting head is designed to reside safely within an outer protective sheath when not in use. The outer protective sheath contains one or more helical grooves or slots, and the cutting head contains protruding blades or projections that fit into these helical grooves or slots. Application of torque to an inner catheter or wire attached to the cutting head applies spin to the cutting head, and the force of the sheath's helical grooves or slots against the cutting head's protruding blades or projections advances the cutting head outward from the protective sheath. Once extended, the cutting head may now rotate freely. The device may use a guidewire to direct the cutting head to the desired position.

A magnetic shift register uses the inherent, natural properties of domain walls in magnetic materials to store data. The shift register uses spin electronics without changing the physical nature of its constituent materials. The shift register comprises a fine track or strip of magnetic materials. Information is stored as domain walls in the track. An electric current is applied to the track to move the magnetic moments along the track past a reading or writing device. In a magnetic material with domain walls, a current passed across the domain wall moves the domain wall in the direction of the current flow. As the current passes through a domain, it becomes “spin polarized”. When this spin polarized current passes through the next domain and across a domain wall, it develops a circle of spin torque. This spin torque moves the domain wall.

A slot machine issues a percentage of one or more progressive awards based upon any wager level (“Percentage Progressive”). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Percentage Progressive concept operates as follows:The game displays the total progressive award amount;The player sets the wager;The game displays a Percentage Progressive value based upon the wager level;The player presses the spin button;The reels to spin and stop;The player collects credits for any winning combinations appearing on the reels, including pay table and progressive awards.In the event of a progressive award, the player receives the Percentage Progressive value*total progressive award amount.The preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore, allows players to participate in progressive awards at any wager level.

There is provided a practical magnetoresistance effect element which has an appropriate value of resistance, which can be sensitized and which has a small number of magnetic layers to be controlled, and a magnetic head and magnetic recording and / or reproducing system using the same. In a magnetoresistance effect element wherein a sense current is caused to flow in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the film, a resistance regulating layer is provided in at least one of a pinned layer, a free layer and an non-magnetic intermediate layer. The resistance regulating layer contains, as a principal component, an oxide, a nitride, a fluoride, a carbide or a boride. The resistance regulating layer may be a continuous film or may have pin holes. Thus, it is possible to provide a practical magnetoresistance effect element which has an appropriate value of resistance, which can be sensitized and which has a small number of magnetic layers, while effectively utilizing the scattering effect depending on spin.