Resistive memory device

A memory cell comprising:

• a first terminal;
• a second terminal;
• and
• a phase change segment comprising a phase-change material for storing information in a plurality of resistance states, wherein:
• the phase change segment is arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal,
• the phase change material consists of antimony,
• at least one of dimensions of the phase change segment is smaller than 15 nanometers, and
• the phase change segment includes an amorphous phase formed during an application of an electrical programming pulse to the first terminal and the second terminal, the electrical programming pulse having a write voltage trailing edge slope sufficiently high to prevent re-crystallization of at least a portion of the phase change material and thereby form the amorphous phase by a melt-quench process.

A method for operating a memory device, comprising:

• controlling a memory device using a control unit, the memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell comprising, a first terminal, a second terminal, and a phase change segment comprising a phase-change material for storing information in a plurality of resistance states, wherein the phase change segment is arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal, the phase change material consisting of antimony, and at least one of the dimensions of the phase change segment being smaller than 15 nanometers;
• applying, by the control unit, in a read mode, a read voltage to the first and the second terminal for reading the resistance state;
• and
• applying, by the control unit, in a write mode, a write voltage as an electrical programming pulse to the first and the second terminal for writing the resistance state, wherein the electrical programming pulse has a trailing edge duration of less than 12 nanoseconds.

A control unit for controlling the operation of a memory device, comprising:

• a control unit for controlling the operation of a memory device, the memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell comprising:
• a first terminal;
• a second terminal;
• and a phase change segment comprising a phase-change material for storing information in a plurality of resistance states, wherein the phase change segment is arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal, the phase change material consisting of antimony, and at least one of dimensions of the phase change segment being smaller than 15 nanometers;
• and
• the control unit being configured to apply in a read mode a read voltage to the first and the second terminal for reading the resistance state, and in a write mode a write voltage as electrical programming pulse to the first and the second terminal for writing the resistance state, wherein the slope of the trailing edge of the programming pulses is configured such that the quench-rate is sufficient to prevent a crystallization of the phase change material.

A computer program product for operating a memory device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by the control unit of the memory device to cause the control unit to perform a method comprising:

• controlling a memory device using a control unit, the memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell comprising, a first terminal, a second terminal, and a phase change segment comprising a phase-change material for storing information in a plurality of resistance states, wherein the phase change segment is arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal, the phase change material consisting of antimony, and at least one of the dimensions of the phase change segment being smaller than 15 nanometers;
• applying, by the control unit, in a read mode, a read voltage to the first and the second terminal for reading the resistance state;
• and
• applying, by the control unit, in a write mode, a write voltage as an electrical programming pulse to the first and the second terminal for writing the resistance state, wherein the electrical programming pulse has a trailing edge duration of less than 12 nanoseconds.