# US 11,114,615 B2 · Chalcogenide memory device components and composition

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- Number: US 11,114,615 B2
- Document ID: US11114615B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/905,366
- Filed: 2020-06-18
- Published: 2020-10-08
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-22
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Enrico Varesi; Paolo Fantini; Lorenzo Fratin; Swapnil A. Lengade
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114615B2

## CPC

- H10N 70/8822: {Sulfides, e.g. CuS}
- C01B 19/002: {Compounds containing, besides selenium or tellurium, more than one other element, with -O- and -OH not being considered as anions}
- G11C 13/0004: {comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells}
- G11C 13/003: {Cell access}
- H10B 63/24: {of the Ovonic threshold switching type}
- H10B 63/30: {comprising selection components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors}
- H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays}
- H10N 70/20: Multistable switching devices, e.g. memristors
- H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices}
- H10N 70/8825: {Selenides, e.g. GeSe}
- H10N 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe}
- G11C 2213/71: Three dimensional array
- G11C 2213/76: Array using an access device for each cell which being not a transistor and not a diode
- H10B 63/84: {arranged in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, e.g. 3D cell arrays}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods related to or that employ chalcogenide memory components and compositions are described. A component of a memory cell, such as a selector device, storage device, or self-selecting memory device, may be made of a chalcogenide material composition. A chalcogenide material may have a composition that includes one or more elements from the boron group, such as boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material, for instance, may have a composition of selenium, germanium, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material may in some cases also include arsenic, but may in some cases lack arsenic.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
selecting, for a memory operation, a memory cell comprising a chalcogenide material that comprises selenium, germanium, and indium, wherein the indium is in an amount ranging from greater than 10 at. % to 15 atomic percent (at. %) of the chalcogenide material, and wherein the selenium is in an amount greater than or equal to 40 at. % of the chalcogenide material; and
applying, during the memory operation, one or more voltages to the memory cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the germanium is in an amount ranging from 8 at. % to 35 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the germanium is in an amount ranging from 20 at. % to 35 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 40 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 30 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 1 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide material includes no arsenic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises a self-selecting storage component for the memory cell.

### Claim 9

An apparatus, comprising:
a first access line;
a second access line;
a memory cell comprising a chalcogenide material that comprises selenium, germanium, and indium, wherein the first access line and the second access line are coupled with the memory cell, and wherein the indium is in an amount ranging from greater than 10 atomic percent (at. %) to 15 at. % of the chalcogenide material, and wherein the selenium is in an amount greater than or equal to 40 at. % of the chalcogenide material; and
a controller operable to cause the apparatus to:
select the memory cell for a memory operation; and
apply, during the memory operation, one or more voltages to the memory cell.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the germanium is in an amount ranging from 8 at. % to 35 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the germanium is in an amount ranging from 20 at. % to 35 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 40 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 30 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises arsenic in an amount less than or equal to 1 at. % of the chalcogenide material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chalcogenide material includes no arsenic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises a self-selecting storage component for the memory cell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory cell comprises:
a first component that comprises the chalcogenide material, wherein the first component is configured as a selector device for the memory cell; and
a second component coupled with the first component, wherein the second component is configured to store data.

### Claim 18

A method, comprising:
selecting, for a memory operation, a memory cell comprising a chalcogenide material that comprises selenium, germanium, and indium, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises a self-selecting storage component for the memory cell; and
applying, during the memory operation, one or more voltages to the memory cell.