Thin film diode integrated with chalcogenide memory cell

A PCRAM cell with an integrated diode, comprising:

• a first layer of chalcogenide glass with n-type doping over the first diffusion barrier layer;
• a second layer of chalcogenide glass infused with silver and in contact with the first layer of chalcogenide glass;
• and
• a top electrode layer over the second layer of chalcogenide glass, the top electrode layer comprising silver.

An integrated programmable conductor memory cell and diode device comprising:

• a first polysilicon layer with a first conductivity type doping;
• a layer of germanium selenide glass containing metal ions over the first polysilicon layer;
• and
• a top electrode over the layer of germanium selenide glass.

A method of fabricating memory cells for a memory array in an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming a bottom electrode having electrical contact to a conductive region in a semiconductor base material;
• providing a first diode element having a first conductivity type and having electrical contact to the bottom electrode;
• forming a glass electrolyte layer over the first diode element, the glass electrolyte layer having metal ions therein and being capable of growing a conductive pathway under the influence of an applied voltage;
• and
• forming a top electrode over the glass electrolyte layer.

A method of fabricating a programmable conductor random access memory (PCRAM), comprising:

• forming an insulating layer with an array of vias, each via having a bottom surface;
• providing at least one diode element in each via;
• and
• providing a chalcogenide glass memory element over the diode element and in each via, the chalcogenide glass memory element having metal ions therein and capable of selectively forming a conductive pathway through or along the chalcogenide glass memory element under the influence of an applied voltage.

A method for making a PCRAM cell with an integrated thin film diode in a via, comprising:

• providing a diffusion barrier material at a bottom of the via;
• depositing a first chalcogenide glass to fill the via;
• etching the first chalcogenide glass back to form a recess in the via;
• doping the first chalcogenide glass to a predetermined depth after etching;
• forming a mixture of a second chalcogenide glass and a first conductive material to fill the via after doping;
• and
• depositing a second conductive material over the mixture.

A method of fabricating a programmable conductor memory device wherein each memory cell has an ancillary diode, comprising:

• etching a via in a silicon nitride layer over a tungsten region;
• filling the via with germanium selenide (Ge—Se);
• etching back the Ge—Se to form a recess in the via;
• ion implanting the Ge—Se with bismuth;
• co-sputtering a mixture of Ge—Se and silver (Ag);
• depositing and patterning a silver layer onto the mixture of Ge—Se and Ag to form a top electrode;
• and
• depositing a top conducting layer of tungsten.

A method of forming a memory cell, comprising:

• providing a polysilicon diode;
• forming a diffusion barrier layer over the diode;
• depositing germanium selenide glass over the diffusion barrier;
• and
• infusing the germanium selenide glass with metal ions.