Thin film magnetic memory device executing self-reference type data read

• US 6,842,366 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Co Ltd (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Hidaka, Hideto, Tanizaki, Hiroaki, Ooishi, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoha, Connie C.
• Application Number:
  US10/383,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 365/171, 365/189.01, 365/189.04, 365/189.07, 365/209
• US Class Current: 365/171
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/15 using multiple magnetic layers G11C11/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1673 Reading or sensing circuits or methods

Abstract

In one data read operation, data read for reading stored data before and after a predetermined data write magnetic field is applied to a selected memory cell, respectively, is executed, and the data read is executed in accordance with comparison of voltage levels corresponding to the data read operations before and after application of the predetermined data write magnetic field. In addition, data read operations before and after the application of a data write magnetic field are executed using read modify write. It is thereby possible to avoid an influence of an offset or the like resulting from manufacturing irregularities in respective circuits forming a data read path, to improve efficiency of the data read operation with accuracy and to execute a high rate data read operation.

Claims

1. A thin film magnetic memory device comprising:

a plurality of memory cells each having an electric resistance according to a magnetic direction;

a data line electrically coupled to a fixed voltage through a selected memory cell selected as a data read target among said plurality of memory cells during data read;

a current supply circuit coupling said data line to a predetermined voltage for supplying a data read current to said selected memory cell at least during said data read;

a data write circuit applying a data write magnetic field to said selected memory cell; and

a data read circuit generating read data on the basis of stored data of said selected memory cell before and after application of said data write magnetic field, application of said data write magnetic field being executed at least once within one data read operation, wherein

said data read circuit includes;

a voltage holding section holding a voltage of said data line applied by performing a read operation from said selected memory cell before the application of said data write magnetic field in an internal node; and

a voltage comparison section generating said read data in accordance with comparison between the voltage of said data line applied by performing the read operation from said selected memory cell after application of said data write magnetic field and a voltage of said internal node, and wherein,

said read operation to said selected memory cell before the application of said data write magnetic field, said application of said data write magnetic field, and said read operation to said selected memory cell after the application of said data write magnetic field are continuously executed.

2. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 1, wherein

said thin film magnetic memory device operates synchronously with a clock signal, and

within said one data read operation, said read operation to said selected memory cell before the application of said data write magnetic field and said application of said data write magnetic field are continuously executed in one clock cycle period.

3. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 1, wherein

the stored data of said selected memory cell before the application of said data write magnetic field is in a first state, and

said stored data of said selected memory cell after the application of said data write magnetic field is set at one of said first state and a second state.

4. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 1, wherein

said voltage comparison section generates said read data on the basis of a voltage difference of the voltage of said internal node applied by said read operation executed first with reference to the voltage of said data line applied by performing said read operation from said selected memory cell after the application of said data write magnetic field.

5. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of memory cells are arranged in a matrix,

said thin film magnetic memory device further comprises:

a plurality of word lines provided to correspond to rows of said memory cells, respectively,

each of said memory cells further has a switch element allowing said data read current to pass through in accordance with activation of corresponding one of said plurality of word lines, and

the word line corresponding to said selected memory cell is kept active in said one data read operation.

6. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 1, wherein

said data write control circuit performs a rewrite operation for writing data equal in level to said generated read data, to said selected memory cell within said one data read operation.

7. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 6, wherein

said data write control circuit stops said rewrite operation when the stored data of said selected memory cell just before executing said rewrite operation is equal in level to said generated read data.

8. A thin film magnetic memory device comprising:

a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, and each including a magneto-resistance element having an electric resistance according to a magnetic direction;

a plurality of source lines provided to correspond to rows of said memory cells, respectively; and

a plurality of bit lines provided to correspond to columns of said memory cells, respectively, wherein

each of said memory cells is arranged between the corresponding source line and the corresponding bit line without using an access element,

said thin film magnetic memory device further comprises;

a data line electrically coupled to the bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell selected as a data read target among said plurality of memory cells during data read;

a current supply circuit coupling the source line corresponding to said selected memory cell to a predetermined voltage and coupling the other source lines to a fixed voltage other than said predetermined voltage during said data read;

a data write circuit applying a data write magnetic field to said selected memory cell; and

a data read circuit generating read data on the basis of stored data of said selected memory cell before and after application of said data write magnetic field, application of said data write magnetic field being executed at least once within one data read operation, and

said data read circuit includes;

a voltage holding section holding a voltage of said data line applied by performing a read operation from said selected memory cell before said data write magnetic field is applied, in an internal node; and

a voltage comparison section generating said read data in accordance with comparison between the voltage of said data line applied by performing the read operation from said selected memory cell after the application of said data write magnetic field, and a voltage of said internal node.

9. A thin film magnetic memory device comprising:

a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each memory cell, being magnetized along an easy axis in a direction according to magnetically written stored data, including a magneto-resistance element having an electric resistance according to a magnetic direction;

a plurality of source lines provided to correspond to rows of said memory cells, respectively; and

a plurality of bit lines provided to correspond to columns of said memory cells, respectively, wherein

each of said memory cells is arranged between the corresponding source line and the corresponding bit line without using an access element,

said thin film magnetic memory device further comprises;

a data line electrically coupled to the bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell selected as a data read target among said plurality of memory cells during data read;

a current supply circuit coupling the source line corresponding to said selected memory cell to a predetermined voltage and coupling the other source lines to a fixed voltage other than said predetermined voltage during said data read;

a bias magnetic field application section applying a bias magnetic field along a hard axis to said selected memory cell; and

a data read circuit generating read data according to stored data of said selected memory cell during said data read, on the basis of voltages of said data line before and after application of said bias magnetic field, respectively.

10. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 9, wherein

said data read circuit includes:

a sense circuit converting a current change of said data line between before and after application of said bias magnetic field, into a voltage change;

a coupling capacitor provided between said sense circuit and an internal node, and transmitting said voltage change between before and after application of said bias magnetic field to said internal node; and

an amplification section amplifying said voltage change transmitted to said internal node, for generating said read data.

11. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 10, wherein

said amplification section includes:

a voltage transmission section setting a voltage of said internal node equal in level to a sub-internal node before the application of said bias magnetic field during said data read;

a voltage holding section holding the voltage of said sub-internal node; and

a voltage amplifier amplifying a voltage difference between said internal node after the application of said bias magnetic field and said sub-internal node for generating said read data.

12. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 10, wherein

said amplification section includes:

a voltage transmission section setting a voltage of said internal node equal in level to a sub-internal node before the application of said bias magnetic field during said data read;

a voltage holding section holding the voltage of said sub-internal node; and

a differential circuit amplifying a degree of the voltage change transmitted to said internal node, on the basis of the voltage of said sub internal node for generating said read data to output node.

13. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 9, wherein

each of said memory cells further includes a diode element provided between said corresponding bit line and said corresponding source line through said magneto-resistance element,

said thin film magnetic memory device further comprises a plurality of digit lines provided to correspond to the rows of the memory cells, respectively, and

each of said digit lines corresponds to said bias magnetic field application section.

14. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 13, wherein

said data read circuit includes:

a sense circuit converting a current change of said data line between before and after application of said bias magnetic field into a voltage change;

a coupling capacitor provided between said sense circuit and an internal node, and transmitting said voltage change between before and after application of said bias magnetic field, to said internal node; and

an amplification section amplifying said voltage change transmitted to said internal node, for generating said read data.

15. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 14, wherein

said amplification section includes:

a voltage transmission section setting a voltage of said internal node equal in level to a sub-internal node before the application of said bias magnetic field during said data read;

a voltage holding section holding the voltage of said internal node; and

a voltage amplifier amplifying a voltage difference between said internal node after the application of said bias magnetic field and said sub-internal node for generating said read data.

16. The thin film magnetic memory device according to claim 14, wherein

said amplification section includes:

a voltage transmission section setting the voltage of said internal node equal in level to a sub-internal node before the application of said bias magnetic field during said data read;

a voltage holding section holding the voltage of said sub-internal node; and

a differential circuit amplifying a degree of the voltage change transmitted to said internal node on the basis of the voltage of said sub-internal node for generating said read data to said output node.