Tohoku University Assigned Patent

Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,135,973) developed by Ohno, Hideo, Ikeda, Shoji, Matsukura, Fumihiro, Endoh, Masaki, Kanai, Shun, Sendai, Japan, Miura, Katsuya, Higashimurayama, Japan, and Yamamoto, Hiroyuki, Shiki, Japan, for a “magnetoresistance effect element and magnetic memory.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Provided are a magnetoresistance effect element with a stable magnetization direction perpendicular to film plane and a controlled magnetoresistance ratio, in which writing can be performed by magnetic domain wall motion, and a magnetic memory including the magnetoresistance effect element. The magnetoresistance ratio is controlled by forming a ferromagnetic layer of the magnetoresistance effect element from a ferromagnetic material including at least one type of 3d transition metal or a Heusler alloy. The magnetization direction is changed from a direction in the film plane to a direction perpendicular to the film plane by controlling the film thickness of the ferromagnetic layer on an atomic layer level.“

The patent application was filed on May 26, 2011 (13/701,257).