Patent ID: 7433220

Claim:
A memory element comprising a variable resistance element whose resistance state changes reversibly between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by applying a voltage of a different polarity between an electrode of one side and an electrode of an other side, wherein said electrode of one side in each element of two said variable resistance elements is made a common electrode, the common electrode not directly receiving an external signal; said electrode of the other side in each element of two said variable resistance elements is made independent and is respectively provided with a terminal to configure a memory cell having two terminals in total; each of said two variable resistance elements includes a conductive film and an insulation film which are formed between said electrode of one side and said electrode of the other side, and has a characteristic of changing from said high resistance state to said low resistance state when a voltage is applied to make an electric current flow from said conductive film toward said insulation film and of changing from said low resistance state to said high resistance state when a voltage is applied to make an electric current flow from said insulation film toward said conductive film; and the electrodes on a conductive film side of each of said two variable resistance elements are connected to be said common electrode.