Programmable metallization cell with alloy layer
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsElijah V. Karpov, Jeffery D. Bielefeld, James S. Clarke, Ravi Pillarisetty, Uday Shah
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Abstract
An embodiment includes a programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory comprising: a top electrode and a bottom electrode; a metal layer between the top and bottom electrodes; and a solid electrolyte (SE) layer between the metal layer and the bottom electrode; wherein (a) the metal layer includes an alloy of first and second metals, and (b) metal ions from the first metal form a conductive path in the SE layer when the top electrode is positively biased and disband the conductive path when the top electrode is negatively biased. Other embodiments are described herein.
Claims25
A programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory comprising:
- a top electrode and a bottom electrode;
- a metal layer between the top and bottom electrodes;
- and
- a solid electrolyte (SE) layer between the metal layer and the bottom electrode;
- wherein the metal layer includes an alloy of first and second metals.
A memory comprising:
- a top electrode and a bottom electrode;
- a metal layer between the top and bottom electrodes;
- and
- a solid electrolyte (SE) layer between the metal layer and the bottom electrode;
- wherein the metal layer includes at least one metal and at least one member selected from the group comprising copper, silver, and nickel.
A method comprising:
- forming a bottom electrode;
- forming a solid electrolyte (SE) layer on the bottom electrode;
- forming a metal layer directly contacting an upper surface of the SE layer;
- forming a barrier layer on the metal layer;
- forming a top electrode on the barrier layer;
- and
- patterning the SE layer, the metal layer, and the barrier layer to form a programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory;
- wherein the metal layer includes an alloy of first and second metals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.