Fabricating a molecular electronic device having a protective barrier layer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorYong Chen
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Abstract
A process of fabricating a molecular electronic device that preserves the integrity of the active molecular layer of the electronic device during processing is described. In one aspect, a barrier layer is provided to protect a molecular layer sandwiched between a bottom wire layer and a top wire layer from degradation during patterning of the top wire layer. A molecular electronic device structure and a memory system that are formed from this fabrication process are described.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a molecular electronic device, comprising:
- providing a barrier layer to protect a molecular layer sandwiched between a bottom wire layer and a top wire layer from degradation during patterning of the top wire layer.
A method of fabricating a molecular electronic device, comprising:
- disposing a patterned bottom wire layer over a substrate;
- disposing over the patterned bottom wire layer a composite layer including a lift-off layer and an underlying barrier layer, the composite layer being patterned to define a device region in which the bottom wire layer is exposed through the lift-off layer and the barrier layer;
- disposing over the patterned composite layer and the exposed bottom wire layer a molecular layer and an overlying top wire layer with a combined thickness in the device region less than the barrier layer defining the device region;
- and
- patterning the top wire layer by dissolving the lift-off layer with a solvent with respect to which the barrier layer is substantially insoluble.
A molecular electronic device, comprising:
- a bottom wire layer;
- a molecular layer disposed over the bottom wire layer in a device region;
- a top wire layer disposed over the molecular layer in the device region;
- and
- a barrier layer defining the device region and having a thickness greater than a combined thickness of the molecular layer and the top wire layer.
A molecular memory system, comprising an array of molecular electronic devices, each molecular electronic device comprising:
- a bottom wire layer;
- a molecular layer disposed over the bottom wire layer in a device region;
- a top wire layer disposed over the molecular layer in the device region;
- and
- a barrier layer defining the device region and having a thickness greater than a combined thickness of the molecular layer and the top wire layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.