Back to results
US 11,696,519 B2Granted
Phase-change memory and method of forming same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorJau-Yi Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and a method of forming the same are provided. The device includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer over the substrate, a bottom electrode extending through the first dielectric layer, a first buffer layer over the bottom electrode, a phase-change layer over the first buffer layer, a top electrode over the phase-change layer, and a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer surrounds the phase-change layer and the top electrode. A width of the top electrode is greater than a width of the bottom electrode.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a first dielectric layer over a substrate;
- forming a first conductive feature in the first dielectric layer;
- forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the first conductive feature;
- forming an opening in the second dielectric layer, the opening exposing a topmost surface of the first conductive feature;
- filling the opening with a first conductive material to form a bottom electrode in the second dielectric layer;
- depositing a phase-change material over the second dielectric layer and the bottom electrode;
- depositing a first buffer material over the phase-change material;
- depositing a second conductive material over the first buffer material;
- performing a patterning process to remove a portion of the phase-change material, a portion of the first buffer material and a portion of the second conductive material, and to expose a topmost surface of the second dielectric layer, wherein a remaining portion of the phase-change material forms a phase-change layer, a remaining portion of the first buffer material forms a first buffer layer, and a remaining portion of the second conductive material forms a top electrode;
- and
- forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer surrounding the first buffer layer, the phase-change layer and the top electrode.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a first dielectric layer over a substrate;
- forming a first conductive feature in the first dielectric layer;
- forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the first conductive feature;
- forming an opening in the second dielectric layer, the opening exposing a topmost surface of the first conductive feature;
- filling the opening with a first conductive material to form a bottom electrode in the second dielectric layer;
- recessing the bottom electrode below a top surface of the second dielectric layer to form a recess;
- depositing a first buffer material in the recess to form a first buffer layer, a top surface of the first buffer layer being substantially level with the top surface of the second dielectric layer;
- depositing a phase-change material over the second dielectric layer and the first buffer layer;
- depositing a second conductive material over the phase-change material;
- performing a patterning process to remove a portion of the phase-change material and a portion of the second conductive material, and to expose the top surface of the second dielectric layer, wherein a remaining portion of the phase-change material forms a phase-change layer and a remaining portion of the second conductive material forms a top electrode;
- and
- forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer surrounding the phase-change layer and the top electrode.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a first interconnect structure over a substrate;
- forming a first dielectric layer over the first interconnect structure;
- forming a bottom electrode within the first dielectric layer;
- forming a first buffer layer over the bottom electrode;
- forming a phase-change layer over the first buffer layer, the phase-change layer being in physical contact with a top surface of the first dielectric layer, wherein a width of the phase-change layer is greater than a width of the bottom electrode;
- forming a top electrode over the phase-change layer;
- and
- forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer is in physical contact with sidewalls of the phase-change layer and sidewalls of the top electrode.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.