Patent ID: 6754099
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A thin film magnetic memory device, comprising:a memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells arranged in rows and columns, each of said plurality of magnetic memory cells including a magnetic storage portion having a different resistance value according to a 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 therethrough into the magnetic storage portion in a data read operation; a plurality of read word lines provided corresponding to the respective rows of the magnetic memory cells, each for actuating the corresponding memory cell selection gate according to an address selection result in the data read operation; a plurality of write data lines provided corresponding to the respective rows, for passing said first data write current therethrough in a data write operation; a plurality of common lines provided corresponding to the respective columns of the magnetic memory cells, each of said plurality of common lines selectively receiving supply of said data read current according to the address selection result in the data read operation, and each of said plurality of common lines being selectively driven to a first voltage for passing said second data write current therethrough according to the address selection result in the data write operation; and a current control circuit for electrically coupling and disconnecting each of the common lines to and from a second voltage in the data write operation and the data read operation, respectively, the second voltage being different from the first voltage, wherein adjacent magnetic memory cells share a corresponding one of at least one of said plurality of write data lines, said plurality of read word lines and said plurality of common lines.