Patent · US Expired

Magnetic random access memory circuit

US6341084B2 · kind B2 · utility

82Cited by
12References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 15, 2001
Grant dateJan 22, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 15, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C11/1657
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a magnetic random access memory circuit, the potential of all sense lines 121 to 124 are equalized, and the potential of all not-selected word lines 133, 135, 136 are equalized and the selected word line 134 is grounded so that a previously charged capacitor 114 is discharged by a current path passing from the capacitor 114 through a MOS transistor 118 maintaining the potential of the sense line 122 at a constant voltage lower than a break voltage, through the selected sense line 122, through the selected magneto-resistive element 142 and through the selected word line 134. Thus, a voltage applied to the magneto-resistive element is maintained at a level smaller than a voltage breaking the magneto-resistive elements or a voltage remarkably deteriorating the characteristics of the magneto-resistive elements because of a biasing effect when the tunnel magneto-resistive element is used, and on the other hand, a high precise and high speed reading can be realized.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.