Patent ID: 7577016

Claim:
A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a plurality of main bit lines; a plurality of reference bit lines, wherein each of the reference bit lines correspond to respective ones of the main bit lines to form a plurality of bit line pairs; a plurality of word lines that cross the main bit lines and the reference bit lines to define a plurality of crossing points; a plurality of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) memory cells, where one of the plurality of MRAM memory cells is located at each respective crossing point; and a plurality of sense amplifiers, each of which are electrically connected to a respective one of the plurality of bit line pairs; wherein each MRAM memory cell is electrically connected to one of the plurality of word lines and to one of the plurality of main bit lines or the plurality of reference bit lines; wherein at least one of the plurality of main bit lines and/or at least one of the plurality of reference bit lines is interposed between the main bit line and the corresponding reference bit line of each bit line pair; wherein at least a subset of the main bit lines cross respective ones of the reference bit lines two times to define two crossovers for each of the subset of the main bit lines, and wherein all of the plurality of MRAM memory cells that are connected to respective ones of the subset of the main bit lines are connected to their respective main bit line between the respective two crossovers; wherein the bit lines have top surfaces and sidewalls surrounded by a cladding pattern; and, wherein a respective one of the plurality of MRAM memory cells is located at every intersection between respective ones of the plurality of word lines and respective ones of the main bit lines and at every intersection between respective ones of the plurality of the word lines and respective ones of the reference bit lines.