Thin film magnetic memory device including memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction

Abstract

In the data read operation, a memory cell and a dummy memory cell are respectively coupled to two bit lines of a selected bit line pair, to which a data read current is supplied. In the selected memory cell column, a read gate drives the respective voltages on a read data bus pair, according to the respective voltages on the bit lines. A data read circuit amplifies the voltage difference between the read data buses so as to output read data. The use of the read gate enables the read data buses to be disconnected from a data read current path. As a result, respective voltage changes on the bit lines are rapidly produced, and therefore, the data read speed can be increased.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A thin film magnetic memory device further comprising: 
 a memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells;    a plurality of data write current lines for writing data to said magnetic memory cells; and    a current driver for selectively connecting one end side of at least one of said data write current lines to a driving voltage; wherein    the other end side of each of said data write current lines is connected to a fixed voltage.    
   
   
       17 . A thin film magnetic memory device further comprising: 
 a memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells;    a plurality of data write current lines for writing data to said magnetic memory cells; and    a data write circuit for supplying a data write current to a selected data write current line of said data write current lines that corresponds to a selected memory cell of said magnetic memory cells, wherein    said data write circuit guides at least a part of said data write current on said selected data write current line to at least one of the remaining unselected data write current line of data write current lines, and    a magnetic field generated by said selected data write current line and a magnetic field generated by said unselected data write current line act to cancel each other in a region corresponding to at least one of the magnetic memory cells other than said selected memory cells.    
   
   
       18 . The thin film magnetic memory device according  claim 17 , further comprising a current driver for selectively connecting one end side of at least one of said data write current lines to a driving voltage; wherein 
 the other end side of each of said data write current lines is connected to a fixed voltage.