Reduced diffusion in metal electrode for two-terminal memory

A method of fabricating a memory cell, comprising:

• forming a first electrically conductive electrode layer above a substrate material;
• forming an electrically resistive switching medium above the first conductive electrode layer that is permeable to ions of at least one noble metal;
• forming a second electrically conductive electrode layer comprising the at least one noble metal above the electrically resistive switching medium;
• and
• forming a diffusion mitigation layer comprising a non-noble metal above the second electrically conductive electrode layer;
• and
• wherein:
• the second electrically conductive electrode layer is configured to generate ions at least at a surface closest to the electrically resistive switching medium in response to an electric field,
• wherein the fabricating is performed in a reduced oxygen environment, and
• wherein the non-noble metal is configured to mitigate exposure of the second electrically conductive electrode layer to oxygen.

An electronic device, comprising:

• an array of memory cells comprising a substrate having a complementary semiconductor metal oxide device and a two-terminal memory cell, both formed at least in part on or above the substrate, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions related to operating the electronic device;
• a command interface configured to receive an instruction pertaining to performing a memory operation with respect to the array of memory cells;
• and
• a controller configured to execute the memory operation on the at least one two-terminal memory cell via one or more signal inputs in response to receipt of the instruction at the command interface and processing of the command, wherein the two-terminal memory cell further comprises:
• a bottom electrode, a switching medium, a top electrode comprising a noble metal and a passivation layer comprising a non-noble metal in immediate contact with the top electrode, wherein the passivation layer is configured to mitigate exposure of the top electrode to oxygen.