US Patent 7863598 Nonvolatile memory device

A nonvolatile memory device comprises memory cells, each including a variable resistor element for storing data in accordance with a change in electrical resistance due to application of electrical stress, and a thermal diffusion barrier on a thermal diffusion path, wherein the thermal diffusion barrier is capable of suppressing a change in resistance of the variable resistor element due to heat diffusion from one of two adjacent memory cells separated by an electrical insulator from each other where heat is generated by applying the electrical stress for changing the electrical resistance of the variable resistor element to the other memory cell via the thermal diffusion path including an electrically conductive wiring material higher in thermal conductivity than that of the electrical insulator.