Patent ID: 7313017
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A thin film magnetic memory device, comprising: a plurality of memory cells each being magnetized along an easy axis in a direction corresponding to storage data magnetically written therein, and each having an electric resistance corresponding to a magnetization direction; a data line that is electrically coupled to a fixed voltage through a selected one of said plurality of memory cells in read operation; a current supply circuit for coupling said data line to a prescribed voltage at least in said read operation; and a bias magnetic field applying section for applying a bias magnetic field along a hard axis to the selected memory cell in said read operation and applying a data write magnetic field along said hard axis to a selected memory cell in said write operation, said bias magnetic field applying section includes said control circuit causes said driver current to change more slowly in said read operation than in said write operation, said thin film magnetic memory device further comprising: a data read circuit for producing read data corresponding to storage data of the selected memory cell, based on voltages on said data line before and after application of said bias magnetic field to the selected memory cell in said read operation.