A magnetic cell includes a first ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization is substantially fixed in a first direction; a second ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization is substantially fixed in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a third ferromagnetic layer provided between the first and the second ferromagnetic layers, a direction of magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer being variable; a first intermediate layer provided between the first and the third ferromagnetic layers; and a second intermediate layer provided between the second and the third ferromagnetic layers. The direction of magnetization of the third ferromagnetic layer can be determined under an influence of spin-polarized electrons upon the third ferromagnetic layer by passing a current between the first and the second ferromagnetic layers.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/227,493, filed on Sep. 16, 2005, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/721,549, filed on Nov. 26, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,766, issued Oct. 18, 2005, and is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-342447, filed on Nov. 26, 2002. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
A magnetic recording element includes a fixed layer having first and second surfacesm, a recording layer having third and fourth surfaces and being essentially made of a ferromagnetic material having first and second atomic potentials for the majority-spin band electrons and the minority-spin band electrons, a spacer layer being arranged between the fixed and recording layers and being in contact with the second and third surfaces, a cap layer having fifth and sixth surfaces, being essentially made of a nonmagnetic material having a third atomic potential less than an intermediate value between the first and second atomic potentials, and having a thickness of not more than 3 nm, the fifth surface being in contact with the fourth surface, and a reflecting layer being in contact with the sixth surface and being essentially made of a nonmagnetic material having a forth atomic potential different from the third atomic potential.
