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US 6,324,093 B1Granted
Write-once thin-film memory
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsFrederick A. Perner, Thomas C. Anthony
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A data storage device includes a group of memory cells. Write-once operations may be performed by damaging the thin-film barriers of at least some of the memory cells. The data storage device may be a Magnetic Random Access Memory (“MRAM”) device.
Claims25
A data storage device comprising:
- a group of thin-film memory cells;
- and
- a circuit for applying write potentials to at least some of the memory cells;
- the memory cells having thin-film barriers that are damaged when the write potentials are applied.
1 more element
A data storage device comprising:
- a memory cell array including a first group of thin-film memory cells and a second group of thin-film memory cells;
- and
- a plurality of word lines and bit lines for the array, each memory cell being at a cross point of a word line and a bit line;
- and
- a circuit for applying first and second write potentials to word and bit lines crossing the first group of memory cells during re-write operations, the first and second write potentials not causing dielectric breakdown in selected memory cells of the first group, the circuit applying third and fourth write potentials to word and bit lines crossing the second group of memory cells during write-once operations, the third and fourth write potentials causing dielectric breakdown in selected memory cells of the second group.
2 more elements
A data storage device comprising:
- a plurality of registers, each register including a thin-film memory element and an access transistor;
- and
- a circuit for applying write potentials to at least some of the memory cells, the memory cells having thin-film barriers that are damaged when the write potentials are applied.
A method of writing a group of memory cells in a data storage device, the memory cells having thin-film barriers, the method comprising:
- breaking down the thin film barrier of at least one memory cell to write a first logic value;
- and
- not breaking down the thin-film barrier of at least one other memory cell to write a second logic value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.