Electro-and electroless plating of metal in the manufacture of PCRAM Devices

A method of forming a memory device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a layer of conductive material and an overlying layer of a chalcogenide material;
• physical vapor depositing a diffusion layer comprising a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material layer;
• diffusing metal ions from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material layer to form a resistance variable material layer comprising an effective level of the metal ions;
• and
• plating a layer of a conductive metal onto the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer such that the level of the metal ions within the resistance variable material layer remains about the same as before the plating step.

A method of forming a programmable memory device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a chalcogenide material overlying and in electrical contact with a first electrode;
• forming a diffusion layer by chemical vapor depositing a first conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material;
• forming the chalcogenide material into a resistance variable material by diffusing metal ions from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material;
• and
• forming a second electrode by plating a second conductive metal onto the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material are at about the same level as before forming the second electrode.

A method of forming a programmable memory device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a chalcogenide material overlying and in electrical contact with a first electrode;
• forming a diffusion layer by physical vapor depositing a first conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material;
• forming the chalcogenide material into a resistance variable material by diffusing metal ions from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material;
• and
• forming a second electrode by plating a second conductive metal onto the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material are at about the same level as before forming the second electrode.

A method of forming a non-volatile resistance variable device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first electrode on a substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer over the first electrode;
• forming an opening through the dielectric layer to the first electrode;
• depositing a layer of a chalcogenide material into the opening in contact with the first electrode;
• chemical vapor depositing a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material layer to form a diffusion layer;
• diffusing metal ions from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material layer to form a resistance variable material layer;
• and
• plating a layer of a conductive metal onto the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to form a second electrode such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material layer are at about the same level as before the plating step.

A method of forming a non-volatile resistance variable device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first electrode on a substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer over the first electrode;
• forming an opening through the dielectric layer to the first electrode;
• depositing a layer of a chalcogenide material into the opening in contact with the first electrode;
• physical vapor depositing a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material layer to form a diffusion layer;
• diffusing metal ions from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material layer to form a resistance variable material layer;
• and
• plating a layer of a conductive metal onto the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to form a second electrode such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material layer are at about the same level as before the plating step.

A method of controlling diffusion of metal into a chalcogenide material to form a resistance variable material, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a chalcogenide material;
• chemical vapor depositing a diffusion layer comprising a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material to a thickness of about 100-300 angstroms;
• diffusing metal ions into the chalcogenide material to form the resistance variable material;
• and
• plating a layer of a conductive metal over the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to a desired thickness such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material are at about the same level as before the plating step.

A method of controlling diffusion of metal into a chalcogenide material to form a resistance variable material, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a chalcogenide material;
• physical vapor depositing a diffusion layer comprising a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material to a thickness of about 100-300 angstroms;
• diffusing metal ions into the chalcogenide material to form the resistance variable material;
• and
• plating a layer of a conductive metal over the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to a desired thickness such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material are at about the same level as before the plating step.

A memory device, prepared by the process of:

• forming a first electrode on a substrate;
• depositing a layer of a chalcogenide material over the first electrode;
• chemical vapor depositing a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material layer to form a diffusion layer;
• diffusing metal into the chalcogenide material layer to form a resistance variable material layer;
• and
• plating a conductive metal over the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to form a second electrode such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material layer are at about the same level as before the plating step.

A memory device, prepared by the process of:

• forming a first electrode on a substrate;
• depositing a layer of a chalcogenide material over the first electrode;
• physical vapor depositing a conductive metal onto the chalcogenide material layer to form a diffusion layer;
• diffusing metal into the chalcogenide material layer to form a resistance variable material layer;
• and
• plating a conductive metal over the resistance variable material layer or overlying remaining diffusion layer to form a second electrode such that the metal ions within the resistance variable material layer are at about the same level as before the plating step.