# US 12,010,932 B2 · Resistive random access memory (RRAM) cells and methods of construction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,932 B2 - Document ID: US12010932B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/379,181 - Filed: 2021-07-19 - Published: 2022-12-08 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-08 - Assignees: Microchip Technology Incorporated - Applicants: Microchip Technology Incorporated - Inventors: Yaojian Leng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010932B2 ## CPC - H10N 70/841: {Electrodes} - H10B 63/30: {comprising selection components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors} - H10N 70/066: {by filling of openings, e.g. damascene method} - H10N 70/24: {based on migration or redistribution of ionic species, e.g. anions, vacancies} - H10N 70/245: {the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells} - H10N 70/821: {Device geometry} - H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices} - H10N 70/8822: {Sulfides, e.g. CuS} - H10N 70/8833: {Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx} - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract Resistive random access memory (RRAM) cells, for example conductive bridging random access memory (CBRAM) cells and oxygen vacancy-based RRAM (OxRRAM) cells are provided. An RRAM cell may include a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure formed between adjacent metal interconnect layers or between a silicided active layer (e.g., including MOSFET devices) and a first metal interconnect layer. The MIM structure of the RRAM cell may be formed by a damascene process including forming a tub opening in a dielectric region, forming a cup-shaped bottom electrode in the tub opening, forming a cup-shaped insulator in an interior opening defined by the cup-shaped bottom electrode, and forming a top electrode in an interior opening defined by the cup-shaped insulator. The cup-shaped bottom electrode, or a component thereof (in the case of a multi-layer bottom electrode) may be formed concurrent with interconnect vias, e.g., by deposition of tungsten or other conformal metal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated circuit structure, comprising: a dielectric region including a tub opening; a resistive random access memory cell structure formed in the tub opening and including: a cup-shaped bottom electrode comprising: a cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component formed in the tub opening; and a cup-shaped bottom electrode inner component formed on the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component; wherein the cup-shaped bottom electrode inner component is formed from a different material than the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component; a cup-shaped insulator; and a top electrode; and an upper metal layer over the dielectric region and including a top electrode contact in electrical contact with the top electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein the resistive random access memory cell structure comprises a damascene structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein: the dielectric region is formed over a lower metal layer including a lower interconnect element; the resistive random access memory cell structure is conductively connected between the lower interconnect element in the lower metal layer and the top electrode contact in the upper metal layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, comprising a via formed in a via opening in the dielectric region; and wherein the upper metal layer includes an interconnect element in contact with the via. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein: the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component comprises tungsten or cobalt; and the cup-shaped bottom electrode inner component comprises platinum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein the resistive random access memory cell comprises a conductive bridging random access memory cell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The integrated circuit structure of claim 6, wherein the cup-shaped insulator comprises GeS2, Al2O3, or WO3. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein the resistive random access memory cell comprises an oxygen vacancy-based resistive random access memory cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The integrated circuit structure of claim 8, wherein the cup-shaped insulator comprises Al2O3, Ta2O5, or HfO2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, comprising a cup-shaped insulator cap located between the cup-shaped insulator and the top electrode, wherein the cup-shaped insulator cap comprises a different material than the cup-shaped insulator and the top electrode. ### Claim 11 An integrated integrated circuit structure, comprising: a dielectric region formed over a transistor, the transistor including a doped source region and a doped drain region, the dielectric region including a tub opening exposing a silicide region, the exposed silicide region formed on the source region or on the drain region of the transistor; a resistive random access memory cell structure formed in the tub opening and including: a cup-shaped bottom electrode formed on the exposed silicide region; a cup-shaped insulator; and a top electrode. ### Claim 12 An integrated integrated circuit structure, comprising: a dielectric region including a tub opening; a resistive random access memory cell structure formed in the tub opening and including: a cup-shaped bottom electrode comprising: a cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component formed in the tub opening; and a cup-shaped bottom electrode inner component formed on the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component; a cup-shaped insulator; and a top electrode; and a via formed in a via opening in the dielectric region; wherein the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component comprises a first portion of a conformal metal layer, and the via comprises a second portion of the conformal metal layer; and wherein the cup-shaped bottom electrode inner component is formed from a different material than the cup-shaped bottom electrode outer component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The integrated circuit structure of claim 10, wherein the cup-shaped insulator cap comprises Al2O3, Ta2O5, ZrO2, HfO2, Ti, or TiN.