Top-electrode barrier layer for rram
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHsing-Lien Lin, Chii-Ming Wu, Fa-Shen Jiang
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell including a top-electrode barrier layer configured to block the movement of nitrogen or some other suitable non-metal element from a top electrode of the RRAM cell to an active metal layer of the RRAM cell. Blocking the movement of non-metal element may be prevent formation of an undesired switching layer between the active metal layer and the top electrode. The undesired switching layer would increase parasitic resistance of the RRAM cell, such that top-electrode barrier layer may reduce parasitic resistance by preventing formation of the undesired switching layer.
Claims20
A resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell comprising:
- a bottom electrode;
- a switching layer over the bottom electrode;
- an active metal layer over the switching layer;
- a top electrode over the active metal layer, wherein the top electrode comprises a metal element and a non-metal element;
- and
- a barrier layer between the top electrode and the active metal layer, wherein the barrier layer is conductive and is amorphous or equiaxed crystalline.
A resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell comprising:
- a bottom electrode;
- a switching layer over the bottom electrode;
- an active metal layer over the switching layer;
- a top electrode over the active metal layer, wherein the top electrode comprises a metal element and a non-metal element;
- and
- a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer stacked between the top electrode and the active metal layer, wherein the first and second barrier layers are different conductive materials and are configured to block diffusion of the non-metal element from the top electrode to the active metal layer.
An integrated chip comprising a memory cell, wherein the memory cell comprises:
- a bottom electrode;
- a solid electrolyte layer over the bottom electrode;
- a metal layer over the solid electrolyte layer and configured to electrochemically dissolve in the solid electrolyte layer;
- a top electrode over the metal layer and comprising a metal nitride;
- and
- a barrier layer between and directly contacting the top electrode and the metal layer, wherein the barrier layer comprises a metal element and is substantially devoid of nitrogen;
- wherein a first interface between the top electrode and the barrier layer has a lesser width than a second interface between the bottom electrode and the solid electrolyte layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.