# US 2021/0242397 A1 · Optically switchable memory

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2021/0242397 A1
- Document ID: US20210242397A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/270,279
- Filed: 2019-08-19
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-23
- Assignees: University of Hull
- Applicants: The University of Hull
- Inventors: Neil KEMP
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242397A1

## CPC

- G11C 13/0007: {comprising metal oxide memory material, e.g. perovskites}
- H10N 70/257: {having switching assisted by radiation or particle beam, e.g. optically controlled devices}
- G06N 3/08: Learning methods
- G11C 13/0002: {using resistive RAM [RRAM] elements}
- G11C 13/0011: {comprising conductive bridging RAM [CBRAM] or programming metallization cells [PMCs]}
- G11C 13/04: using optical elements {; using other beam accessed elements, e.g. electron or ion beam}
- H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays}
- H10N 70/011: {Manufacture or treatment of multistable switching devices}
- H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10N 70/828: {Current flow limiting means within the switching material region, e.g. constrictions}
- G11C 7/005: {with combined beam-and individual cell access}
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing a storage device for storing information, apparatus for storing information, an optical memristor device and a memory cell are disclosed. A method comprises providing at least one first electrode and at least one further electrode and providing each of at least one region of a first material between, and in electrical connection with, a respective first electrode and a further electrode whereby said step of providing at least one region comprises providing in the first material, a plurality of changeable particles that have charge storage capacity and at least one electrical property that is reversibly changeable responsive to absorption of incident electromagnetic radiation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a storage device for storing information, comprising the steps of:
providing at least one first electrode and at least one further electrode; and
providing each of at least one region of a first material between, and in electrical connection with, a respective first electrode and a further electrode;
whereby
said step of providing at least one region comprises providing in the first material, a plurality of changeable particles that have charge storage capacity and at least one electrical property that is reversibly changeable responsive to absorption of incident electromagnetic radiation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
the electromagnetic radiation is in the wavelength range 10-830 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
the electrical property is switchable responsive to incident electromagnetic radiation in less than 60 seconds between a first electrical property state and at least one further electrical property state and optionally less than 300 ns.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
the electrical property is also reversibly changeable responsive to selective application of an electrical signal applied via the first and further electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
said step of providing at least one region comprises embedding a plurality of charge storage particles that have charge storage capability in an insulating material that comprises said first material and embedding the plurality of changeable particles in the insulating material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
said step of providing at least one region comprises embedding the plurality of changeable particles, in an insulating material, as a plurality of particles that have both charge storage capability and at least one electrical property that is reversibly changeable responsive to absorption of incident electromagnetic radiation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
providing a charge blocking barrier between said region and said first electrode and/or between said region and said further electrode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:
said step of providing a region of a first material comprises depositing a thin film of an inorganic insulating material and said step of embedding a plurality of charge storage particles comprises embedding metallic particles and desired particles of a phase change material in the inorganic insulating material.

### Claim 9

Apparatus for storing information, comprising:
at least one first electrode and at least one further electrode;
at least one region of a first material each region being disposed between, and in electrical connection with, a respective first electrode and a further electrode; and
a plurality of changeable particles, in the first material, that have charge storage capability and at least one electrical property that is reversibly changeable responsive to absorption of incident electromagnetic radiation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
the electromagnetic radiation is in the wavelength range 10-830 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
the electrical property is switchable responsive to incident electromagnetic radiation in less than 60 seconds between a first electrical property state and at least one further electrical property state and optionally less than 300 ns.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
a plurality of charge storage particles that have charge storage capability embedded in an insulating material that comprises said first material; and
the plurality of changeable particles are embedded in the insulating material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
the changeable particles are embedded in an insulating material and are particles that have both charge storage capability and at least one electrical property that is reversibly changeable responsive to absorption of incident light.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
the changeable particles are particles of a material that exhibits at least one order of magnitude change in electrical conductivity when illuminated with optical light.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
the changeable particles are particles of phase change material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
the changeable particles are particles of a material that exhibit photo doping or comprise photo redox molecules.

### Claim 17

An optical memristor device for reversible latched switching, wherein at least a portion of the device has an electrical property that is indicative of a memristor state and is switchable responsive to incident electromagnetic radiation in less than 60 seconds between a first property state and at least one further property state and optionally is switchable in less than 300 ns.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The memristor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the electrical property is switchable between states in less than 10 ns and optionally less than 1 ns.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The memristor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the memristor device is switchable in response to electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of between 10-830 nm.

### Claim 20

A memory cell, comprising:
a bit line;
a word line;
a bit line electrode;
a word line electrode; and
an active region between and in electrical connection with the bit line electrode and the word line electrode, wherein an electrical property in the active region that is indicative of a memory cell state is switchable responsive to incident electromagnetic radiation in less than 60 seconds between a first electrical property state and at least one further electrical property state.

### Claim at position 21

-25. (canceled)