THERMALLY-ASSISTED SWITCHING OF MAGNETIC MEMORY ELEMENTS

摘要

PURPOSE: Thermally-assisted switching of magnetic memory elements are provided to improve a driving speed and reduce a device size. CONSTITUTION: The memory elements(114) are arranged in rows and columns, with the rows extending along an x-direction and the columns extending along a y-direction. Only a relatively small number of memory elements(114) is shown to simplify the illustration of the information storage device(110). In practice, arrays of any size are used. Traces functioning as word lines(116) extend along the x-direction in a plane on one side of the memory cell array(112). Traces functioning as bit lines(118) extend along the y-direction in a plane on an adjacent side of the memory cell array(112). Each memory element(114) is located at a cross point of a word line(116) and a bit line(118).