Semiconductor device with phase-change material and method for manufacturing thereof

A semiconductor structure, comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from one another along a first direction;
• a phase-change material layer spanning over and in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the phase-change material layer includes a plurality of discrete segments spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• a metal feature overlapping the phase-change material layer, wherein the metal feature extends lengthwise along the second direction;
• and
• an insulator disposed vertically between the phase-change material layer and the metal feature.

A semiconductor structure, comprising:

• a heating element disposed over a substrate, the heating element extending lengthwise along a first direction;
• a plurality of discrete phase-change elements disposed over the heating element and spaced apart from one another along the first direction, wherein measured along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction a dimension of a center one of the discrete phase-change elements is different from a dimension of an edge one of the discrete phase-change elements;
• a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from one another along the second direction, wherein each of the discrete phase-change elements connects the first electrode to the second electrode;
• a first contact landing on the first electrode;
• and
• a second contact landing on the second electrode.