Patent ID: 7023723

Claim:
A ferromagnetic thin-film material based digital memory, said memory comprising: a plurality of bit structures, each supported on a substrate and separated from one another by spacer material therebetween, and that are electrically interconnected with information retrieval circuitry, said bit structures each comprising magnetic material film in which a characteristic magnetic property is substantially maintained below a critical temperature above which such magnetic property is not maintained, said bit structures each having a first interconnection structure providing electrical contact thereto positioned against at least one side thereof and a plurality of word line structures each having a pair of word line end terminal regions adapted to conduct electrical current in at least one direction therethrough, each of said pairs of word line end terminal regions having an electrical conductor electrically connected therebetween with each said electrical conductor having a plurality of heat dissipation structures connected thereto that are each located across said spacer material from said magnetic material film in a corresponding one of said bit structures and exhibiting sufficient electrical resistance therein for a sufficient electrical current therethrough to cause substantial heating of said bit structure corresponding thereto to raise temperatures thereof to have said magnetic material film therein at least approach said critical temperature while being substantially above temperatures of at least an adjacent said bit structure because of sufficient extents of, and smallness of thermal conductivities of, said first interconnection structure positioned against said corresponding bit structure and of those portions of said substrate and said spacer material positioned thereabout, said plurality of heat dissipating structures each having a location thereon spaced apart from where connected to a said electrical conductor that is selectively connectable so as to be capable of allowing electrical current to be established in that heat dissipating structure.