Patent ID: 8149615

Claim:
A magnetic random access memory comprising: a memory cell including a first magnetoresistance element; and a reference cell including a second magnetoresistance element, which is referred to for generating a reference level at a time of data reading from said memory cell, wherein said first magnetoresistance element comprises: a first magnetization free layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; a first magnetization fixed layer having in-plane magnetic anisotropy and whose magnetization direction is fixed; a second magnetization free layer having in-plane magnetic anisotropy and whose magnetization direction is variable; and a first nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between said first magnetization fixed layer and said second magnetization free layer, wherein said first magnetization free layer comprises: a first magnetization fixed region whose magnetization direction is fixed; a second magnetization fixed region whose magnetization direction is fixed; and a magnetization free region whose magnetization direction is reversible and that is connected to said first magnetization fixed region and said second magnetization fixed region, wherein said magnetization free region and said second magnetization free layer are magnetically coupled to each other, and center of said second magnetization free layer is displaced in a first direction from center of said magnetization free region in a first plane parallel to each layer, wherein said second magnetoresistance element comprises: a third magnetization free layer whose magnetization easy axis is parallel to a second direction; a second magnetization fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed in a third direction perpendicular to said second direction; and a second nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between said second magnetization fixed layer and said third magnetization free layer, wherein said second magnetization fixed layer and said third magnetization free layer have in-plane magnetic anisotropy.