Vertical resistive processing unit with air gap

A vertical resistive unit fabrication method comprising:

• sequentially depositing first and second layers of first and second dielectric materials, respectively, onto a conductive substrate;
• forming, on the second layer, a row of horizontal electrode layers respectively comprising first and second horizontal layers of the first dielectric material and conductors interleaved in a pattern between corresponding first and second horizontal layer sections;
• depositing an additional layer of the second dielectric material about the row of the horizontal electrode layers;
• repeating the forming of the row of the horizontal electrode layers and the depositing of the additional layer;
• depositing a capping layer of the first dielectric material onto an uppermost additional layer;
• forming holes through vertically aligned conductors;
• sequentially filling the etched holes with oxide, reactive electrode material and conductive material to form vertical electrodes;
• and
• etching the second dielectric material exposed by a dummy hole extending to the first layer.

A vertical resistive unit comprising:

• a first dielectric material layer disposed on a conductive substrate;
• a dielectric material capping layer defining a dummy hole aperture;
• one or more rows of horizontal electrode layers interposed between the first dielectric material layer and the dielectric material capping layer,
• each horizontal electrode layer respectively comprising first and second horizontal dielectric material layers and conductors interleaved in a pattern between corresponding sections of the first and second horizontal dielectric material layers;
• vertical electrodes extending through vertically aligned conductors of vertically aligned horizontal electrode layers and comprising sequential layers of oxide, reactive electrode material and conductive material;
• and
• a layer of non-conformal dielectric material disposed on the dielectric material capping layer to pinch-off the dummy hole aperture.