Patent ID: 7102920
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A soft-reference three conductor magnetic memory storage device comprising: an electrically conductive first sense/write conductor; an electrically conductive second sense conductor; a soft-reference spin valve memory (SVM) cell in electrical contact with and located between the first sense/write conductor and the second sense conductor, the SVM cell comprising a material with an alterable orientation of magnetization; and an electrically conductive third write column substantially proximate to and electrically isolated from the second sense conductor;  wherein each SVM cell includes: at least one ferromagnetic data layer characterized by an alterable orientation of magnetization; an intermediate layer in contact with the at least one ferromagnetic data layer; and at least one ferromagnetic soft-reference layer in contact with the intermediate layer, opposite from the at least one ferromagnetic data layer, the at least one ferromagnetic soft-reference layer having a non-pinned orientation of magnetization and lower coercivity than the at least one ferromagnetic data layer, wherein the SVM cell is operable during a read operation such that the at least one ferromagnetic soft-reference layer is oriented-on-the-fly to a desired orientation by a sense magnetic field generated by at least one sense current flowing in the third write column conductor, the magnetic field being insufficient to affect the orientation of the at least one ferromagnetic data layer of the SVM cell, and wherein the SVM cell is operable during a write operation such that the combined write magnetic field generated by a write current flowing in the first sense/write conductor and a write current flowing in the third write column conductor, the combined magnetic field sufficient to orient the at least one ferromagnetic data layer.