Patent ID: 6191972
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A magnetic random access memory circuit comprising:a row decoding means receiving a part of a given address;a column decoding means receiving the other part of a given address;a plurality of pairs of sense lines connected to output terminals of said row decoding means, each pair of sense lines being located adjacent to each other;a plurality of word lines connected to output terminals of said column decoding means, said word lines extending to intersect said sense lines so that intersections of said sense lines and said word lines are located in the form of a matrix;a memory array including a plurality of cell pairs distributed over said matrix, each cell pair including a memory cell and a reference cell located adjacent to each other, each of said memory cell and said reference cell including a magneto-resistive element;said memory cell and said reference cell of each cell pair being located at intersections of one word line and one pair of sense lines, respectively, said memory cell of said each cell pair being connected between one sense line of said one pair of sense lines and said one word line, and said reference cell of said each cell pair being connected between the other sense line of said one pair of sense lines and said one word line.