Patent ID: 7800937

Claim:
A method for reading a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device, comprising: partially switching magnetic moments in a reference memory cell to generate a reference current; measuring a read current through a memory cell to be read; and comparing the read current with the reference current to determine a state of the memory cell to be read; wherein partially switching magnetic moments in the reference memory cell comprises: providing a first magnetic field in a first direction; providing a second magnetic field in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; turning off the second magnetic field; and turning off the first magnetic field; wherein the reference memory cell is subjected to a bias magnetic field, the method further comprising: providing a third magnetic field in a third direction before providing the first magnetic field, the third direction being opposite to the second direction and forming a blunt angle with a direction of the bias magnetic field; and turning off the third magnetic field before providing the second magnetic field.