Claims
- 1. A magneto-resistive memory comprising:
two or more elongated magneto-resistive bits each having an axis along its length; two or more elongated word lines, each and having an axis along its length and each extending adjacent a corresponding one of the magneto-resistive bits; an elongated digital line extending adjacent each of the two or more magneto-resistive bits; the axis of each of the elongated magneto-resistive bits being substantially perpendicular to the axis of the corresponding elongated word line; and the elongated digital line extending substantially parallel to the axis of each elongated word line at least in the region of each magneto-resistive bit.
- 2. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 1 wherein the elongated digital line extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of each elongated word line in a region between each magneto-resistive bit.
- 3. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 1 wherein the elongated digital line approaches a first magneto-resistive bit from a first direction and a second magneto-resistive bit from a second direction.
- 4. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 3 wherein the first magneto-resistive bit and the second magneto-resistive bit are physically adjacent to one another.
- 5. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 4 wherein the elongated digital line assumes a zig-zag pattern.
- 6. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 1 wherein the magneto-resistive bits are electrically connected in a string configuration to form a sense line.
- 7. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 6 further comprising:
sense current generating means for selectively providing a sense current to the magneto-resistive bits via the sense line; word line current generating means for selectively providing a word line current to a selected word line; digital line generating means for selectively providing a digital line current to the digital line; and a controller for controlling the sense current generating means, the word line current generating means and the digital line generating means.
- 8. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 7 wherein the controller has means for initiating a write to a selected magneto-resistive bit including:
means for causing the sense current generating means to provide a sense current to the sense line; means for causing the digital line current generating means to provide a digital line current to the digital line; and means for causing the word line current generating means to provide a word line current to the word line that extends adjacent the selected magneto-resistive bit.
- 9. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 6, further comprising:
a current generator to provide current selectively to the sense lines; a current generator to provide current selectively to the word lines; a current generator to provide current selectively to the digit lines; and a controller that directs current generators signals to select a particular magneto-resistive bit.
- 10. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 9 wherein the controller directs the current generator signals to write to a selected magneto-resistive bit.
- 11. The magneto-resistive memory of claim 9 wherein the controller directs the current generator signals to read a selected magneto-resistive bit.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/618,504 by Li et al., filed on Jul. 18, 2000.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09618504 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
09964217 |
Sep 2001 |
US |