US 7,511,992 B2
Magnetic memory device
Yoshihiro Ueda, Yokohama (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Nov. 08, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/937,058.
Claims priority of application No. 2006-304351 (JP), filed on Nov. 09, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2008/0112216 A1, May 15, 2008
Int. Cl. G11C 11/15 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 365—158  [365/173] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic memory device comprising:
a first magnetoresistive element which takes a high-resistance state when receiving a write current in a first direction, takes a low-resistance state having a resistance value lower than a resistance value in the high-resistance state when receiving a write current in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and receives a read current in a read operation;
a second magnetoresistive element which takes one of the high-resistance state and the low-resistance state in accordance with a magnetization state thereof, is fixed to the low-resistance state when a direction of the read current is the same as the first direction, and is fixed to the high-resistance state when the direction of the read current is the same as the second direction; and
a control circuit which is connected to the first magnetoresistive element and the second magnetoresistive element, and makes a read voltage applied to the first magnetoresistive element equal to a read voltage applied to the second magnetoresistive element.