US 2003/0201469 A1 · Phase change material memory device

Abstract

A phase change material memory cell may be formed with singulated, cup-shaped phase change material. The interior of the cup-shaped phase change material may be filled with a thermal insulating material. As a result, heat losses upwardly through the phase change material may be reduced and adhesion problems between the phase change material and the rest of the device may likewise be reduced in some embodiments. In addition, a barrier layer may be provided between the upper electrode and the remainder of the device that may reduce species incorporation from the top electrode into the phase change material, in some embodiments. Chemical mechanical planarization may be utilized to define the phase change material reducing the effects of phase change material dry etching in some embodiments.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

defining a singulated opening;
forming a cup-shaped phase change material in said opening;
and
forming a thermally insulating material in the cup-shaped phase change material.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/426,380Filed 30 Apr 2003

Priority

7 Sep 2001

Published

30 Oct 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H10N 70/231
Multistable switching devices, e.g. memristors: based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect
H10B 63/80
Resistance change memory devices, e.g. resistive RAM [ReRAM] devices: arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching…
H10N 70/068
Shaping switching materials: by processes specially adapted for achieving sub-lithographic dimensions, e.g. using spacers
H10N 70/8265
Adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices: on sidewalls of dielectric structures, e.g. mesa-shaped or…

Phase change material memory device

Life of this patent

Phase change material memory device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39