Patent ID: 8174877

Claim:
A memory device, comprising: an array of memory cells, each memory cell comprising a respective memory element; and a grid of selection lines, comprising a plurality of first selection lines and a plurality of second selection lines; each memory cell being individually addressable via one of the first selection lines and one of the second selection lines, wherein the memory element comprises an electric device comprising: a resistor comprising a phase change material being changeable between a first phase and a second phase within a switching zone, the resistor having a first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the first phase and a second electrical resistance, different from the first electrical resistance, when the phase change material is in the second phase, the resistor being capable of conducting a first current and the device comprising a heating element adapted to conduct a second current for enabling a transition of the phase change material from the first phase to the second phase within the switching zone of the resistor, characterized in that, the resistor is arranged as a first line and the heating element is arranged as a second line, the first line being adapted to conduct the first current and the second line being adapted to conduct the second current, wherein the first line and the second line cross at a cross position of the switching zone; wherein the grid of selection lines further comprises a plurality of third selection lines, and a plurality of fourth selection lines, the resistor of each memory element being arranged for electrically connecting one of the first selection lines to one of the second selection lines, and the heating element of each memory element being arranged for electrically connecting one of the third selection lines to one of the fourth selection lines, each heating element being individually addressable via one of the third selection lines and one of the fourth selection lines.