Content addressable memory
One embodiment provides a content addressable memory, including: a pair of spin MOSFETs including: a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with stored data; and a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with the stored data, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET; a first wiring configured to apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data; and a second wiring configured to apply a current to both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET.
1. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with stored data; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with the stored data, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET,
wherein the stored data includes three values of “1”, “0” and “Don't care”,
wherein, when the stored data is “1” or “0”, the first spin MOSFET is set in a first magnetization state while the second spin MOSFET is set in a second magnetization state, so that resistances thereof are differentiated from each other, and
wherein, when the stored data is “Don't care”, both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET are set collectively in the first magnetization state.
2. The content addressable memory of claim 1 ,
wherein a plurality of pairs of spin MOSFETs are connected in series, and
wherein the second wiring applies the current to the pairs of spin MOSFETs.
3. The content addressable memory of claim 1 , further comprising:
a comparator configured to compare an output signal of the pair of spin MOSFETs with a reference value to thereby determine whether the stored data and the search data match with each other or not.
4. The content addressable memory of claim 1 ,
wherein the stored data includes two values, and
wherein, in the pair of spin MOSFETs, one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET is magnetized to have a higher resistance as compared with the other.
5. The content addressable memory of claim 1 ,
wherein both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET are of an n-type or p-type, and
wherein the first wiring includes a first sub-wiring configured to apply a first voltage to the first spin MOSFET, and a second sub-wiring configured to apply a second voltage different from the first voltage to the second spin MOSFET.
6. The content addressable memory of claim 1 , further comprising:
current lines disposed so as to cross either sources or drains of the pair of spin MOSFET.
7. The content addressable memory of claim 1 ,
wherein one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET is an n-type spin MOSFET whereas the other is a p-type spin MOSFET.
8. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in a first state when stored data is a first value and the magnetization state is set in a second state when the stored data is a second value; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in the second state when the stored data is the first value and the magnetization state is set in the first state when the stored data is the second value, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET,
wherein the stored data includes three values of “1”, “0” and “Don't care”, wherein, when the stored data is “1” or “0”, the first spin MOSFET is set in a first magnetization state while the second spin MOSFET is set in a second magnetization state, so that resistances thereof are differentiated from each other, and
wherein, when the stored data is “Don't care”, both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET are set collectively in the first magnetization state.
9. The content addressable memory of claim 8 ,
wherein a plurality of pairs of spin MOSFETs are connected in series, and
wherein the second wiring applies the current to the pairs of spin MOSFETs.
10. The content addressable memory of claim 8 , further comprising:
a comparator configured to compare an output signal of the pair of spin MOSFETs with a reference value to thereby determine whether the stored data and the search data match with each other or not.
11. The content addressable memory of claim 8 ,
wherein the stored data includes two values, and
wherein, in the pair of spin MOSFETs, one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET is magnetized to have a higher resistance as compared with the other.
12. The content addressable memory of claim 8 ,
wherein both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET are of an n-type or p-type, and
wherein the first wiring includes a first sub-wiring configured to apply a first voltage to the first spin MOSFET, and a second sub-wiring configured to apply a second voltage different from the first voltage to the second spin MOSFET.
13. The content addressable memory of claim 8 , further comprising:
current lines disposed so as to cross either sources or drains of the pair of spin MOSFET.
14. The content addressable memory of claim 8 ,
wherein one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET is an n-type spin MOSFET whereas the other is a p-type spin MOSFET.
15. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with stored data; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with the stored data, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to:
apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data, and
apply a writing voltage for writing the stored data, which is larger than the gate voltage for searching the search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET.
16. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a plurality of pairs of spin MOSFETs connected in series, each pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with stored data; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in accordance with the stored data, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to the pairs of spin MOSFETs; and
a control circuit configured to set magnetization states of the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs, by,
while applying the gate voltage such that spin MOSFETs to be set into a first magnetization state among the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs are made electrically conductive, applying a current not smaller than a predetermined threshold to the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs in a first direction, and,
while applying the gate voltage such that spin MOSFETs to be set into a second magnetization state different from the first magnetization state are made electrically conductive, applying the current not smaller than the predetermined threshold to the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs in a second direction reverse to the first direction.
17. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in a first state when stored data is a first value and the magnetization state is set in a second state when the stored data is a second value; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in the second state when the stored data is the first value and the magnetization state is set in the first state when the stored data is the second value, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to:
apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data, and
apply a writing voltage for writing the stored data, which is larger than the gate voltage for searching the search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to both of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET.
18. A content addressable memory, comprising:
a plurality of pairs of spin MOSFETs connected in series, each pair of spin MOSFETs including:
a first spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in a first state when stored data is a first value and the magnetization state is set in a second state when the stored data is a second value; and
a second spin MOSFET whose magnetization state is set in the second state when the stored data is the first value and the magnetization state is set in the first state when the stored data is the second value, the second spin MOSFET being connected in parallel with the first spin MOSFET;
a first wiring configured to apply a gate voltage so that any one of the first spin MOSFET and the second spin MOSFET becomes electrically conductive in accordance with search data; and
a second wiring configured to apply a current to the pairs of spin MOSFETs; and
a control circuit configured to set magnetization states of the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs, by,
while applying the gate voltage such that spin MOSFETs to be set into a first magnetization state among the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs are made electrically conductive, applying a current not smaller than a predetermined threshold to the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs in a first direction, and,
while applying the gate voltage such that spin MOSFETs to be set into a second magnetization state different from the first magnetization state are made electrically conductive, applying the current not smaller than the predetermined threshold to the series-connected pairs of spin MOSFETs in a second direction reverse to the first direction.