# US 10,374,009 B1 · Te-free AsSeGe chalcogenides for selector devices and memory devices using same

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- Number: US 10,374,009 B1
- Document ID: US10374009B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/038,072
- Filed: 2018-07-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-17
- Assignees: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Huai-Yu Cheng; Hsiang-Lan Lung; I-Ting Kuo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374009B1

## CPC

- H10B 63/24: {of the Ovonic threshold switching type}
- H10B 63/84: {arranged in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, e.g. 3D cell arrays}
- H10N 70/026: {by physical vapor deposition, e.g. sputtering}
- H10N 70/041: {Modification of switching materials after formation, e.g. doping (shaping H10N70/061)}
- H10N 70/20: Multistable switching devices, e.g. memristors
- H10N 70/235: {between different crystalline phases, e.g. cubic and hexagonal}
- H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices}
- H10N 70/8413: {adapted for resistive heating}
- H10N 70/8825: {Selenides, e.g. GeSe}
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A voltage sensitive switching device has a first electrode, a second electrode, and a switching layer between the first and second electrodes, comprising a tellurium free, low germanium composition of arsenic As, selenium Se and germanium Ge. The switching device is used in 3D cross-point memory.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switching device, comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
a switching layer less than 50 nm thick between the first and second electrodes, the switching layer comprising a tellurium Te-free composition of arsenic As in a range of 15 at % to 46 at %, selenium Se in a range of 27 at % to 60 at % and germanium Ge in a range of 10 at % to 25 at %, wherein the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to switch the switching layer using an applied voltage pulse less than 50 ns in duration at a threshold voltage Vt>3V, with an off-state leakage current IOFF<1 nA.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to switch using an applied voltage pulse less than 50 ns in duration at a threshold voltage Vt>4V.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to have off-state leakage current IOFF<500 pA.

### Claim 4

A switching device, comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
a switching layer between the first and second electrodes, the switching layer comprising a composition of arsenic As in a range of 15 at % to 46 at %, selenium Se in a range of 27 at % to 60 at % and germanium Ge in a range of 20 at % to 25 at %, wherein the composition of the switching layer is tellurium Te-free and includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to switch the switching layer using an applied voltage pulse less than 50 ns in duration at a threshold voltage Vt>3V, with an off-state leakage current IOFF<1 nA.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the switching layer is less than 50 nm thick.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the switching layer has a thickness in a range of 15 to 45 nm, inclusive.

### Claim 7

A memory device, comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode;
a memory element in contact with the first electrode;
a switching layer in series with the memory element between the first and second electrodes, the switching layer comprising a tellurium Te-free composition of arsenic As (15 at % to 46 at %), selenium Se (27 at % to 60 at %) and germanium Ge (10 at % to 25 at %); and
a barrier layer between the memory element and the switching layer, wherein the switching layer is less than 50 nm thick, and the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to switch the switching layer using an applied voltage pulse less than 50 ns in duration at a threshold voltage Vt>3V, with an off-state leakage current IOFF<1 nA.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to switch using an applied voltage pulse less than 50 ns in duration at a threshold voltage Vt>4V.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the composition includes As, Se and Ge in amounts effective to have off-state leakage current IOFF<500 pA.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the switching layer has a thickness in a range of 15 to 45 nm, inclusive.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the memory element comprises a programmable resistance material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the memory element comprises a phase change memory material.