Abstract: A magnetic memory device includes magnetoresistance-effect storage elements arranged so as to store information by using a change in a magnetization direction of a storage area of each of the storage elements, and a control unit. The control unit controls a polarity of a first wiring current for generating a recording auxiliary magnetic field in a direction of a hard magnetization axis of the storage area, and a polarity of a second wiring current for generating a recording magnetic field in a direction of an easy magnetization axis of the storage area. Each of the first and second wiring currents has a first polarity when generating a “1” and a second polarity, different from the first polarity, when generating a “0”.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element (1) has an arrangement in which a pair of ferromagnetic material layers (magnetization fixed layer (5) and magnetization free layer (7)) is opposed to each other through an intermediate layer (6) to obtain a magnetoresistive change by causing a current to flow in the direction perpendicular to the layer surface and in which the ferromagnetic material layers are annealed by anneal including rotating field anneal and the following static field anneal. A magnetic memory device comprises this magnetoresistive effect element (1) and bit lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element (1) in the thickness direction. When the magnetoresistive effect element (1) and the magnetic memory device are manufactured, the ferromagnetic material layers (5, 7) are annealed by rotating field anneal and the following static field anneal.

Abstract: A storage element 3 has an arrangement in which magnetization fixed layers 31 and 32 are provided above and below a storage layer 17 for storing information based on the magnetization state of a magnetic material through intermediate layers 16 and 18, directions of magnetizations M15 and M19 of ferromagnetic layers 15 and 19 closest to the storage layer 17 of the magnetization fixed layers 31 and 32 above and below the storage layer 17 are opposite to each other, the two intermediate layers 16 and 18 above and below the storage layer 17 have a significant difference between sheet resistivity values thereof and in which the direction of a magnetization M1 of the storage layer 17 is changed with application of an electric current to the lamination layer direction to record information on the storage layer 17.

Abstract: A ringing reduction apparatus includes image restoration means for restoring an input image with image degradation to the image with less degradation using an image restoration filter; and weighted average means for performing weighted average of the input image and the restoration image obtained by the image restoration means. In the ringing reduction apparatus, the weighted average means performs the weighted average of the input image and the restoration image such that a degree of the input image is strengthened in a portion where ringing is conspicuous in the restoration image, and the weighted average means performs the weighted average of the input image and the restoration image such that a degree of the restoration image is strengthened in a portion where ringing is inconspicuous in the restoration image.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element may be given satisfactory magnetic characteristics because a deterioration of a magnetoresistive changing rate by annealing can be suppressed and a magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element to provide excellent write characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to cause an electric current to flow in the direction perpendicular to the layer surface to obtain a magnetoresistive change. A magnetic memory device comprises the magnetoresistive effect element 1 in which at least one of the pair of ferromagnetic layers 5, 7 contains an amorphous ferromagnetic material whose crystallization temperature is higher than 623 K and bit lines and word lines sandwiching this magnetoresistive effect element and the magnetoresistive effect element in the thickness direction.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element (1) has an arrangement in which a pair of ferromagnetic material layers (magnetization fixed layer (5) and magnetization free layer (7)) is opposed to each other through an intermediate layer (6) to obtain a magnetoresistive change by causing a current to flow in the direction perpendicular to the layer surface and in which the ferromagnetic material layers are annealed by anneal including rotating field anneal and the following static field anneal. A magnetic memory device comprises this magnetoresistive effect element (1) and bit lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element (1) in the thickness direction. When the magnetoresistive effect element (1) and the magnetic memory device are manufactured, the ferromagnetic material layers (5, 7) are annealed by rotating field anneal and the following static field anneal.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistive effect element having a satisfactory magnetic characteristic and a magnetic memory device including this magnetoresistive effect element to produce excellent write/read characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element 1 has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to produce a magnetoresistive change by a current flowing to the direction perpendicular to the film plane, the magnetization free layer having a normalized resistance ranging from 2000 ?nm2 to 10000 ?nm2 where a product of a specific resistance obtained when a current flows to the film thickness direction of the magnetization free layer 7 and a film thickness is defined as the normalized resistance. A magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element 1 and bit lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element 1.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistive effect element having a satisfactory magnetic characteristic and a magnetic memory device including this magnetoresistive effect element to produce excellent write/read characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element 1 has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to produce a magnetoresistive change by a current flowing to the direction perpendicular to the film plane, the magnetization free layer having a normalized resistance ranging from 2000 ?nm2 to 10000 ?nm2 where a product of a specific resistance obtained when a current flows to the film thickness direction of the magnetization free layer 7 and a film thickness is defined as the normalized resistance. A magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element 1 and bit-lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element 1.

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive element which includes at least a pair of ferromagnetic layers stacked with having an intermediate layer inbetween and achieves a change in the magnetic resistance by permitting a current to flow in the direction which crosses the plane of the stacked layers, by virtue of having a construction wherein at least one ferromagnetic layer constituting an information recording layer has an amorphous structure containing a CoFeB or CoFeNiB alloy and has a plane form having a longer axis in one direction wherein both sides thereof along the longer axis direction form a straight line or a curved outward, and the both ends thereof in the longer axis direction form a curved or bent outward from, wherein the pattern form has an aspect ratio of 1:1.2 to 1:3.5, excellent asteroid curve having consistency in the properties can be stably obtained.

Abstract: A magnetic memory includes magnetic memory elements 3 and 5 having memory layers capable of storing information by the magnetized state of a magnetic material, in which a plurality of magnetic memory elements 3 and 5 is electrically connected in series or in parallel to each other near an intersection point between two kinds of interconnections 1 and 6 which cross each other and between the two kinds of the interconnections 1 and 6, threshold values of recording electric currents by which information can be recorded on a plurality of magnetic memory elements 3 and 5 are made different from each other and the memory layers of the respective magnetic memory elements 3 and 5 comprise different information storage units. Thus, the magnetic memory becomes able to record much more information per unit area.

Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal display device having excellent display capability even if the number of the photolithography process is reduced and a process for producing the device. A process includes the steps of (a) forming a source/drain wiring by using a first mask; (b) forming a thin film transistor region and gate wiring by using a second mask; (c) forming an opening for a transistor, in a passivation film by using a third mask; (d) forming a rough surface of the interlayer insulating film and to form an opening for the transistor by using a fourth mask by halftone exposure, and (e) forming a reflective metal which extend through the respective openings for the transistor in the passivation film and the interlayer insulating film so that it is electrically connected to the source wiring by using a fifth mask.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistive effect element having a satisfactory magnetic characteristic and a magnetic memory device including this magnetoresistive effect element to produce excellent write/read characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element 1 has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to produce a magnetoresistive change by a current flowing to the direction perpendicular to the film plane, the magnetization free layer having a normalized resistance ranging from 2000 ?nm2 to 10000 ?nm2 where a product of a specific resistance obtained when a current flows to the film thickness direction of the magnetization free layer 7 and a film thickness is defined as the normalized resistance. A magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element 1 and bit-lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element 1.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistive effect element having a satisfactory magnetic characteristic and a magnetic memory device including this magnetoresistive effect element to produce excellent write/read characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element 1 has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to produce a magnetoresistive change by a current flowing to the direction perpendicular to the film plane, the magnetization free layer having a normalized resistance ranging from 2000 ?nm2 to 10000 ?nm2 where a product of a specific resistance obtained when a current flows to the film thickness direction of the magnetization free layer 7 and a film thickness is defined as the normalized resistance. A magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element 1 and bit lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element 1.

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive element which includes at least a pair of ferromagnetic layers stacked with having an intermediate layer inbetween and achieves a change in the magnetic resistance by permitting a current to flow in the direction which crosses the plane of the stacked layers, by virtue of having a construction wherein at least one ferromagnetic layer constituting an information recording layer has an amorphous structure containing a CoFeB or CoFeNiB alloy and has a plane form having a longer axis in one direction wherein both sides thereof along the longer axis direction form a straight line or a curved outward, and the both ends thereof in the longer axis direction form a curved or bent outward from, wherein the pattern form has an aspect ratio of 1:1.2 to 1:3.5, excellent asteroid curve having consistency in the properties can be stably obtained.

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive element which includes at least a pair of ferromagnetic layers stacked with having an intermediate layer inbetween and achieves a change in the magnetic resistance by permitting a current to flow in the direction which crosses the plane of the stacked layers, by virtue of having a construction wherein at least one ferromagnetic layer constituting an information recording layer has an amorphous structure containing a CoFeB or CoFeNiB alloy and has a plane form having a longer axis in one direction wherein both sides thereof along the longer axis direction form a straight line or a curved outward, and the both ends thereof in the longer axis direction form a curved or bent outward from, wherein the pattern form has an aspect ratio of 1:1.2 to 1:3.5, excellent asteroid curve having consistency in the properties can be stably obtained.

Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal display device having excellent display capability even if the number of the photolithography process is reduced and a process for producing the device. A process includes the steps of (a) forming a source/drain wiring by using a first mask; (b) forming a thin film transistor region and gate wiring by using a second mask; (c) forming an opening for a transistor, in a passivation film by using a third mask; (d) forming a rough surface of the interlayer insulating film and to form an opening for the transistor by using a fourth mask by halftone exposure, and (e) forming a reflective metal which extend through the respective openings for the transistor in the passivation film and the interlayer insulating film so that it is electrically connected to the source wiring by using a fifth mask.

Abstract: There are provided a measuring head moved along a guide rail, first position detection means for detecting the positions of the measuring head on the guide rail using a predetermined position on the guide rail as a reference position, second position detection means for detecting the position in a world coordinate system of the measuring head on the guide rail, and means for storing in a storage device each of the positions of the measuring head on the guide rail using the predetermined position on the guide rail as the reference position and a corresponding position in the world coordinate system with the positions correlated with each other.

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive element which includes at least a pair of ferromagnetic layers stacked with having an intermediate layer inbetween and achieves a change in the magnetic resistance by permitting a current to flow in the direction which crosses the plane of the stacked layers, by virtue of having a construction wherein at least one ferromagnetic layer constituting an information recording layer has an amorphous structure containing a CoFeB or CoFeNiB alloy and has a plane form having a longer axis in one direction wherein both sides thereof along the longer axis direction form a straight line or a curved outward, and the both ends thereof in the longer axis direction form a curved or bent outward from, wherein the pattern form has an aspect ratio of 1:1.2 to 1:3.5, excellent asteroid curve having consistency in the properties can be stably obtained.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistive effect element having a satisfactory magnetic characteristic and a magnetic memory device including this magnetoresistive effect element to produce excellent write/read characteristics. A magnetoresistive effect element 1 has a pair of ferromagnetic layers (magnetization fixed layer 5 and magnetization free layer 7) opposed to each other through an intermediate layer 6 to produce a magnetoresistive change by a current flowing to the direction perpendicular to the film plane, the magnetization free layer having a normalized resistance ranging from 2000 ?nm2 to 10000 ?nm2 where a product of a specific resistance obtained when a current flows to the film thickness direction of the magnetization free layer 7 and a film thickness is defined as the normalized resistance. A magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element 1 and bit lines and word lines sandwiching the magnetoresistive effect element 1.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element may be given satisfactory magnetic characteristics because a deterioration of a magnetoresistive changing rate by annealing can be suppressed and a magnetic memory device includes this magnetoresistive effect element to provide excellent write characteristics.