A SUPERCONDUCTIVE MAGNETORESISTIVE MEMORY-ELEMENT USING CONTROLLED EXCHANGE INTERACTION

A memory device that can be switched between the normal state and supe rconducting state by an external magnetic field is proposed. The devic e consists of a superconducting/double magnetic (SM1M2) trilayer and i s switched in a manner analogous to giant magnetoresistive memory devi ces, Using Usadel equations it is shown that the superconducting trans ition temperature of the device changes when the magnetic configuratio ns of magnetizations of the two lower layers are switched between para llel and antiparallel. Appropriate design parameters are discussed and the materials issues analyzed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics .