Patent ID: 7978505

Claim:
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) structure comprised of a plurality of MRAM cells wherein each MRAM cell comprises: (a) three electrodes including a first electrode, a third electrode, and a second (center) electrode that separates said MRAM cell into two sections which are a dedicated magnetic data storage section and a dedicated magnetic data reading section wherein the first electrode, the magnetic data storage section, and the second electrode form a stack of layers that are aligned in a certain direction and each of the three electrodes are formed along a plane perpendicular to said certain direction; (b) a dedicated magnetic data storage section formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, comprising: (1) a magnetic data storage layer formed along a plane perpendicular to said certain direction and contacting a side of the second electrode that faces the first electrode, said magnetic data storage layer is comprised of a high anisotropy material with a magnetization that is switched by simultaneously applying a magnetic field and thermal heating; and (2) a first current routing component formed between the magnetic data storage layer and the first electrode that allows a write current to flow only through the magnetic data storage layer between the second electrode and the first electrode in a direction perpendicular to the planes of said first and second electrodes and magnetic data storage layer during a write process; (c) a dedicated magnetic data reading section formed between the second electrode and the third electrode, comprising: (1) a magnetic data reading layer formed along a plane perpendicular to said certain direction and contacting a side of the second electrode opposite the magnetic data storage layer, said magnetic data reading layer is comprised of a magnetoresistive (MR) device having at least one free layer that is magneto-statically coupled to said magnetic data storage layer and produces a resistance change when the data storage layer magnetization switches; and (2) a second current routing component formed between the magnetic data reading layer and the third electrode that allows a sensing current to flow only through the magnetic data reading layer between the second electrode and the third electrode in a direction perpendicular to the planes of said second and third electrodes and magnetic data reading layer during a read (sensing) process.