Method for writing in a MRAM-based memory device with reduced power consumption

摘要

The present disclosure concerns a method of writing in a memory device (10) comprising a plurality of magnetoresistive random access memory cells (1) arranged in rows and columns, each cell (1) including a magnetic tunnel junction (2) having a resistance that can be varied during a write operation when the magnetic tunnel junction (2) is heated at a high threshold temperature, and a select transistor (3) electrically coupled to the magnetic tunnel junction (2); a plurality of word lines (WL) connecting cells (1) along a row; and a plurality of bit lines (BL) connecting cells (1) along a column; the method comprising supplying a bit line voltage (V BL ) to one of the bit lines (BL) and a word line voltage (V WL ) to one of the word lines (WL) for passing a heating current (I heat ) through the magnetic tunnel junction (2) of a selected cell (1); wherein said word line voltage (V WL ) is a word line overdrive voltage (V WLo ) being higher than the core operating voltage of the cells (1) such that the heating current (I heat ) has a magnitude that is high enough for heating the magnetic tunnel junction (2) at the predetermined high threshold temperature. The memory device can have a high-density and can be written with low power consumption.