Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for operating a ferroelectric (FE) circuit element as a cell of a crossbar memory array. In an embodiment, the crossbar memory array comprises a bit line, a word line, and a data storage cell which includes a circuit element that extends to each of the bit line and the word line. The data storage cell is a FE circuit element which comprises terminals, each at a different respective one of the bit line or the word line, and one or more material layers between said terminals. One such layer comprises a FE nitride or a FE oxide. The FE circuit element is operable to selectively enable, or disable, operation as a diode. In another embodiment, the memory array is coupled to circuitry which corresponds a given mode of operation of the FE circuit element to a particular data bit value.