A novel current-mode sensing scheme for magnetic tunnel junction MRAM

In this paper, we present two integrated circuits for sensing data nondestructively from one-transistor one-magnetic tunnel junction (1T-1MTJ) magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). The first one is a low-power sensing circuit for MTJs with a magnetoresistance (MR) ratio larger than 10%, and the second one is a high-sensitivity switched-current sensing circuit for MTJs with an MR ratio as low as 5%. The circuits are designed using 0.60- and 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS processes, and their performance is verified using HSPICE. Compared with existing sensing circuits at a power supply of 3.0 V, their read access time is 1.46-3.33 times faster and power consumption is 2.67-3.85 times smaller.