Patent ID: 8009464

Claim:
A magnetic random access memory comprising: a semiconductor substrate in which a step portion having a side surface and a top face is formed; a gate electrode formed on the side surface of the step portion through a gate insulating film; a drain diffusion layer formed in the top face of the step portion; a source diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate below the drain diffusion layer to be separated from the drain diffusion layer; a magnetoresistive effect element which is connected with the drain diffusion layer, and has a fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed, a recording layer whose magnetization direction is reversible, and a non-magnetic layer provided between the fixed layer and the recording layer, the magnetization directions of the fixed layer and the recording layer entering a parallel state or an antiparallel state in accordance with a direction of a current flowing through a space between the fixed layer and the recording layer; and a bit line connected with the magnetoresistive effect element.