Dedicated contacts for controlled electroforming of memory cells in resistive random-access memory array

A method for fabricating a memory device, comprising:

• forming a lower conductive line on an interlayer dielectric layer;
• forming a lower electrode on the lower conductive line;
• forming an isolation layer to isolate the lower electrode, wherein an upper surface of the isolation layer is coplanar with an upper surface of the lower electrode;
• forming a stack structure on the lower electrode, wherein the stack structure comprises a metal-oxide layer disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the metal-oxide layer;
• forming insulating spacers on sidewalls of the stack structure;
• wherein the lower electrode, the metal-oxide layer, and the upper electrode comprise a resistive memory cell, and wherein the lower electrode has a footprint which is greater than a footprint of the upper electrode;
• forming an upper conductive line in contact with the upper electrode, wherein the upper conductive line is arranged orthogonal to the lower conductive line;
• and
• forming a dedicated electroforming contact in contact with an extended portion of the lower electrode which extends past a cross-point of the upper and lower conductive lines.