Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory having a substrate supporting bit structures that are electrically interconnected with information storage and retrieval circuitry and having magnetic material films in which a characteristic magnetic property is substantially maintained below an associated critical temperature above which such magnetic property is not maintained separated by at least one layer of a nonmagnetic material with each bit structure having an interconnection structure providing electrical contact thereto at a contact surface thereof substantially parallel to the intermediate layer positioned between the first contact surface and the substrate. A plurality of word line structures located across from a corresponding one of the bit structures on an opposite side of the intermediate layer of a corresponding one of said bit structures from its interconnection structure provides electrical contact thereto.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic field detection system used for detecting the presence of selected molecular species. A magnetic field sensor supported on a substrate has a binding molecule layer positioned on a side thereof capable of selectively binding to the selected molecular species. The magnetic field sensor can be substantially covered by an electrical insulating layer having a recess therein adjacent to the sensor in which the binding molecule layer is provided. An electrical interconnection conductor can be supported on the substrate at least in part between the sensor and the substrate, and is electrically connected to the sensor. The magnetic field sensor can be provided in a bridge circuit, and can be formed by a number of interconnected individual sensors.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory having a plurality of bit structures electrically interconnected with information storage and retrieval circuitry that avoids information loss in one bit structure because of operating the others through this circuitry. Each of these bit structures formed of a relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer having two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof with a pair of memory films of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material each on a corresponding one of said relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer major surfaces. The relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer is of a material and a selected thickness so as to maintain magnetizations of said memory films oriented in substantially opposite directions.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic field sensor with first and second sensitive direction sensing structures each having a nonmagnetic intermediate layer with two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof having a magnetization reference layer on one and an anisotropic ferromagnetic material sensing layer on the other having a length in a selected length direction and a smaller width perpendicular thereto and parallel to the relatively fixed magnetization direction. The relatively fixed magnetization direction of said magnetization reference layer in each is oriented in substantially parallel to the substrate but substantially perpendicular to that of the other. An annealing process is used to form the desired magnetization directions.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory having a bit structures therein a magnetic material film in which a magnetic property thereof is maintained below a critical temperature above which such magnetic property is not maintained, and may also have a plurality of word line structures each with heating sections located across from the magnetic material film in a corresponding one of the bit structures. These bit structures are sufficiently thermally isolated to allow selected currents in the adjacent word lines or in the bit structure, or both, to selectively heat the bit structure to approach the critical temperature. Such bit structures may have three magnetic material layers each with its own critical temperature for maintaining versus not maintaining a magnetic property thereof.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic field sensor having a nonmagnetic intermediate layer with two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof upon one of which a magnetization reference layer is provided and upon the other there being provided a sensing layer. A spacer layer is provided on the sensing film to separate this sensing film from an augmenting film with the spacer layer being sufficiently thick so as to significantly reduce or eliminate topological coupling between the sensing and augmenting films, and to significantly randomize spin states of emerging electrons traversing therethrough.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory cell with a memory film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material and with a source layer positioned on one side thereof so that a majority of conduction electrons passing therefrom have a selected spin orientation to be capable of reorienting the magnetization of the film. A disruption layer is positioned on the other side of the memory film so that conduction electrons spins passing therefrom are substantially random in orientation. The magnitude of currents needed to operate the cell can be reduced using coincident thermal pulses to raise the cell temperature.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic field detection system used for detecting the presence of selected molecular species. A magnetic field sensor supported on a substrate has a binding molecule layer positioned on a side thereof capable of selectively binding to the selected molecular species. The magnetic field sensor can be substantially covered by an electrical insulating layer having a recess therein adjacent to the sensor in which the binding molecule layer is provided. An electrical interconnection conductor can be supported on the substrate at least in part between the sensor and the substrate, and is electrically connected to the sensor. The magnetic field sensor can be provided in a bridge circuit, and can be formed by a number of interconnected individual sensors.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetoresistive device with a first ferromagnetic material based film having electrically conductive, ferromagnetic material nanogranules embedded in an intergranular material of a smaller electrical conductivity first nonmagnetic. The device may have an intermediate layer adjacent the first ferromagnetic material based film and a second film is on the other side of the intermediate layer of a substantially ferromagnetic material. The first film is less than 1.0 &mgr;m thick.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic field sensor having an electrically insulative intermediate layer with two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof with an initial film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on one of those intermediate layer major surfaces and a superparamagnetic thin-film on on the remaining one of said intermediate layer major surfaces.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetic device with internal film coupling compensation including a nonmagnetic material intermediate layer with an initial thin-film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on one side. A compensation thin-film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material is provided on the opposite side with an antiparallel coupling layer thereon and a subsequent thin-film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on the antiparallel coupling layer with the compensation thin-film being less thick than the subsequent thin-film. A antiferromagnetic layer can be supported by the layers on either side of the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory including a memory cell having a bit structure with a nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a memory film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on each of the opposite side major surfaces of an intermediate layer with there being a film thickness difference there of at least five percent, or a film effective anisotropy field difference because of different ferromagnetic materials used therefor, or both. An electrically insulative intermediate layer is provided on the memory film across from one intermediate layer major surface, this insulative intermediate layer having a major surface on a side opposite the memory film on which a magnetization reference layer is provided having a relatively fixed magnetization direction.

Abstract: A signal transmission system (10) for providing electrical energization to a load electrically connected to a system output (38) based on input signals provided to a system input (11,12). The system (10) has a condition determiner for determining the occurrence or absence of a selected condition. A pulser to provide the system output and the system input connected to an oscillator. The condition determiner is coupled to at least a selected one of the oscillator and the pulser to cause the pulser to provide electrical energization pulses at the system output based on the system input (11,12).

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory having a plurality of bit structures interconnected with manipulation circuitry having a plurality of transistors so that each bit structure has transistors electrically coupled thereto that selectively substantially prevents current in at least one direction along a current path through that bit structure and permits selecting a direction of current flow through the bit structure if current is permitted to be established therein. A bit structure has a nonmagnetic intermediate layer with two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof and a memory film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on each of the intermediate layer major surfaces with an electrically insulative intermediate layer is provided on the memory film on which a magnetization reference layer is provided having a fixed magnetization direction.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory (FIG. 1) having in a bit structure (17,17′) a coupled moment material film (13,14,14′,14″) in which magnetic moments of adjacent atoms, ions or molecules are coupled to one another to maintain some alignment thereof below a critical temperature above which such alignment is not maintained, and also having a plurality of word line structures (20) each located across from the coupled moment material film (13,14,14′,14″) in a corresponding one of the bit structures (17,17′). The bit structures (17,17′) are sufficiently thermally isolated to allow currents in the adjacent word lines (20) and/or the bit structure (17,17′) to heat the bit structure (17,17′) to approach the critical temperature which may be supplied coincidently and then reduced to cool the bit structure (17,17′) while supplying a magnetic field during the cooling.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory having a plurality of bit structures electrically interconnected with information storage and retrieval circuitry that avoids information loss in one bit structure because of operating the others through this circuitry. Each of these bit structures formed of a relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer having two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof with a pair of memory films of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material each on a corresponding one of said relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer major surfaces. The relative orientation maintenance intermediate layer is of a material and a selected thickness so as to maintain magnetizations of said memory films oriented in substantially opposite directions.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory cell with a memory film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material and with a source layer positioned on one side thereof so that a majority of conduction electrons passing therefrom have a selected spin orientation to be capable of reorienting the magnetization of the film. A disruption layer is positioned on the other side of the memory film so that conduction electrons spins passing therefrom are substantially random in orientation. The magnitude of currents needed to operate the cell can be reduced using coincident thermal pulses to raise the cell temperature.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based digital memory including a memory cell having a bit structure with a nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a memory film of an anisotropic ferromagnetic material on each of the opposite side major surfaces of an intermediate layer with there being a film thickness difference there of at least five percent, or a film effective anisotropy field difference because of different ferromagnetic materials used therefor, or both. An electrically insulative intermediate layer is provided on the memory film across from one intermediate layer major surface, this insulative intermediate layer having a major surface on a side opposite the memory film on which a magnetization reference layer is provided having a relatively fixed magnetization direction.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based magnetoresistive device with a first ferromagnetic material based film having electrically conductive, ferromagnetic material nanogranules embedded in an intergranular material of a smaller electrical conductivity first nonmagnetic. The device may have an intermediate layer adjacent the first ferromagnetic material based film and a second film is on the other side of the intermediate layer of a substantially ferromagnetic material. The first film is less than 1.0 &mgr;m thick.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic thin-film based sensing arrangement having a plurality of magnetic field sensors on a substrate each having an intermediate layer of a nonmagnetic material with two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof with one of a pair of magnetically permeable films each of a magnetoresistive, anisotropic ferromagnetic material correspondingly positioned thereon with first and second oriented sensors therein respectively having a selected and a reversing magnetization orientation structure provided with one of said pair of permeable films thereof for orienting its magnetization in a selected direction absent an externally applied magnetic field in at least partly opposing directions.