Switching of soft reference layers of magnetic memory devices

摘要

A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) including an array of magnetic memory cells and a plurality of word and bit lines connecting columns and rows of the memory cells. Each memory cell has a magnetic reference layer and a magnetic data layer. Each reference layer and each data layer has a magnetization that is switchable between two states under the influence of a magnetic field. The MRAM also includes a plurality of heating elements each proximate to a respective reference layer. Each heating element provides in use for localized heating of the respective reference layer so as to reduce the coercivity of the reference layer to facilitate switching of the reference layer without switching of the data layers.