Patent ID: 6522573
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B82Y,G11C,H01L

Abstract:
A solid-state magnetic memory comprising:a semiconductor substrate, ferromagnetic tunnel junction elements arrayed in a row direction and a column direction crossing the row direction and each comprising, a magnetic recording layer, a magnetization direction of which can be reversed by applying first and second magnetic fields thereto, a magnetization fixed layer facing the magnetic recording layer and configured to retain a magnetization direction thereof unchanged on applying the first and second magnetic fields, and a nonmagnetic layer intervening between the magnetic recording layer and the magnetization fixed layer; first wirings each extending in the column direction and arranged in the row direction, a unit consisting of one of the first wirings and one of first element groups being repeated in the row direction, and each of the first element groups comprising part of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction elements arranged in the column direction; second wirings positioned apart from the first wirings, each extending in the row direction and arranged in the column direction, the second wirings facing second element groups respectively, and each of the second element groups comprising part of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction elements arranged in the row direction; and diodes each formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate at least partially, each of the second wirings being electrically connected to one of the first wirings via one of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction elements and one of the diodes, wherein the memory is configured to generate the first magnetic field by causing currents to flow in the same direction through two of the first wirings adjacent to each other and to generate the second magnetic field by causing a current to flow through one of the second wirings on writing information in one of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction elements that is closest to the two of the first wirings adjacent to each other and closest to the one of the second wirings.