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US 7,254,057 B2Granted
Magnetic thin-film memory device for quick and stable reading data
AssigneeRenesas Technology Corp.
InventorHideto Hidaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An MTJ memory cell is independently provided with a write word line and a read word line used for data write and data read. By separately arranging read word lines every two regions formed by dividing a memory array in the column direction, it is possible to reduce signal propagation delays of the read word lines and accelerate the data read operation. Activation of each read word line is controlled by a write word line in accordance with a row selection result in a hierarchical manner. A word-line-current control circuit forms and cuts off the current path of a write word line correspondingly to data write and data read.
Claims19
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data written by a data-write magnetic field generated by first and second data write currents
- and
- a memory-cell selection gate for passing a data read current through said storage section under data read;
- and
- a plurality of write word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells, wherein
- each of said write word lines are arranged to be shared by plural rows of said rows.
5 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data written when a data-write magnetic field applied by first and second data-write currents is larger than a predetermined magnetic field and
- a memory-cell selection gate for passing a data read current through said storage section under data read;
- a plurality of write word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells and respectively shared by every two of said rows;
- a word-line control circuit for forming and cutting off the path of said first data-write current under said data write and data read for at least activated one of said write word lines;
- a word-line driving circuit for activating said write word lines corresponding to the selected row under both said data read and data write;
- a plurality of data line corresponding to columns of said magnetic memory cells;
- a read/write control circuit for respectively supplying said second data-write current and said data read current at least that one of said data lines, which corresponds to the selected column, under said data write and data read;
- and
- a plurality of read word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells, each for turning ON the corresponding memory-cell selection gate in accordance with a row selection result under said data read;
- wherein
- each of said read word lines is selectively activated together with corresponding one of said write word lines in accordance with said row selection result.
10 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storing section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data to be written by a data-write magnetic field generated by first and second data write currents and
- an access transistor connected in series with said storing section;
- a plurality of data lines corresponding to columns of said magnetic memory cells;
- a read/write control circuit for supplying said first data write current and data read current to at least one that of said data lines, which corresponds to the selected column among said data lines under data write and data read;
- a plurality of word lines provided corresponding to rows of said magnetic memory cells and respectively activated in accordance with a row selection result,
- at least activated one of said word lines turns ON the corresponding access transistor;
- and
- a word-line-current control circuit for forming the current path of said second data write current on at least activated one of said word lines under said data write,
- said word-line-current control circuit cuts off said current path of each of said word lines under said data read.
8 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data written by a data-write magnetic field generated by data write current;
- and
- a plurality of write word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells, wherein
- each of said write word lines are arranged to be shared by plural rows of said rows.
3 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data written when a data-write magnetic field applied by first and second data-write currents is larger than a predetermined magnetic field;
- a plurality of write word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells and respectively shared by every two of said rows;
- a word-line control circuit for forming and cutting off the path of said first data-write current under said data write and data read for at least activated one of said write word lines;
- a word-line driving circuit for activating said write word lines corresponding to the selected row under both data read and data write;
- a plurality of data line corresponding to columns of said magnetic memory cells;
- a read/write control circuit for respectively supplying said second data-write current and a data read current at least that one of said data lines, which corresponds to the selected column, under said data write and said data read;
- and
- a plurality of read word lines provided correspondingly to rows of said magnetic memory cells, and selectively activated to flow said data read current through one or more selected memory cells of said plurality of magnetic memory cells in accordance with a row selection result under said data read;
- wherein
- each of said read word lines is selectively activated together with corresponding one of said write word lines in accordance with said row selection result.
9 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storing section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data to be written by a data-write magnetic field generated by first and second data write currents;
- a plurality of data lines corresponding to columns of said magnetic memory cells;
- a read/write control circuit for supplying said first data write current and a data read current to at least one that of said data lines, which corresponds to the selected column among said data lines under data write and data read;
- a plurality of word lines provided corresponding to rows of said magnetic memory cells and respectively activated in accordance with a row selection result;
- and
- a word-line-current control circuit for forming the current path of said second data write current on at least activated one of said word lines under said data write, wherein
- said word-line-current control circuit cuts off said current path of each of said word lines under said data read, and
- said data read current is supplied to one or more selected memory cells connecting to the activated word line and the data line corresponding said selected column.
7 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a matrix,
- in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data that is written in response to an applied magnetic field;
- a read selecting portion configured to select at least one of said magnetic memory cells in data read with using first and second lines that are arranged in a hierarchical manner;
- and
- a write selecting portion configured to select at least one of said magnetic memory cells in data write with using a third line.
3 more elements
A magnetic thin-film memory device comprising:
- a memory array having a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in a first direction and a second direction to form a matrix in which each of said magnetic memory cells includes:
- a storage section whose resistance values are changed in accordance with the level of storage data that is written in response to an applied magnetic field;
- a read selecting portion configured to perform a memory cell selection along one of said first and second directions in data read with using first and second lines,
- said first line being arranged to select at least one of memory cell groups each including magnetic memory cells aligned in one of said first and second directions, and said second line being arranged to select a part of the magnetic memory cells selected by said first line;
- and
- a write selecting portion configured to perform a memory cell selection along said one of said first and second directions in data write with using a third line.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.