Patent ID: 8018758

Claim:
A method of writing magnetic random access memory elements requiring high programming currents, comprising: providing a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array of m rows and n columns, wherein each memory cell has a magnetic memory element, each said magnetic memory element having a first terminal and a second terminal, and a cell transistor, each said cell transistor having a drain connected to said second terminal of said magnetic memory element, a gate, and a source, and wherein said memory cell stores a 1 by causing a first current to flow from said cell transistor into said magnetic memory element and stores a 0 by causing a second current to flow from said magnetic memory element into said cell transistor; providing a BLC line and a BLT line for each column of said array; providing a word line for each row of said array; connecting said first terminal of said magnetic memory elements in those said magnetic memory cells in each of said n columns to one of said BLC lines; connecting said source of each of said cell transistors in those said magnetic memory cells in each of said n columns to one of said BLT lines; connecting said gate of each of said cell transistors in those said magnetic memory cells in each of said m rows to one of said word lines; writing a 1 in one of said magnetic memory cells by applying a first voltage to the word line connected to that said magnetic memory cell, a second voltage to the BLC line connected to that said magnetic memory cell, a third voltage to the BLT line connected to that said magnetic memory cell, a fourth voltage to the remaining BLC and BLT lines, and a fifth voltage to the remaining word lines; writing a 1 in additional magnetic memory cells as desired, one cell at a time, using the above procedure; writing a 0 in one of said by applying a sixth voltage to the word line connected that said selected magnetic memory cell, a seventh voltage to the BLC line connected to that said selected magnetic memory cell, an eighth voltage to the BLT line connected to that said selected magnetic memory cell, said fourth voltage to the remaining BLC and BLT lines, and said fifth voltage to the remaining word lines; and writing a 0 in additional magnetic memory cells as desired, one cell at a time, using the above procedure.