Vertical phase change switch devices and methods
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsKuo-Pin Chang, Yu-Wei Ting, Tsung-Hao Yeh, Kuo-Ching Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A phase change device includes a substrate with a top surface. A heater structure is disposed on the substrate. The heater structure has first and second sidewalls on opposite sides of the heater structure. A phase change element is disposed over the heater structure. The phase change element includes three connected portions. A first portion is disposed over the heater structure. A second portion is disposed over the first sidewall of the heater structure. A third portion is over a first portion of the top surface of the substrate adjacent to and spaced apart from the first sidewall of the heater structure.
Claims20
A phase change device, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a top surface;
- a heater structure disposed on the substrate, the heater structure having first and second sidewalls on opposite sides of the heater structure;
- a first dielectric region disposed over the heater structure, the first dielectric region comprising a thermally insulating and electrically insulating material;
- a second dielectric region disposed over the first sidewall of the heater structure, the second dielectric region comprising a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material;
- a phase change element disposed over the first dielectric region, the heater structure, the second dielectric region, and a first portion of the top surface of the substrate extending away from the second dielectric region and the heater structure;
- and
- first and second conductive regions disposed over the phase change element and on opposite sides of the second dielectric region.
A phase change device, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a top surface;
- a heater structure disposed on the substrate, the heater structure having a first and second sidewalls on opposite sides of the heater structure;
- a phase change element disposed over the heater structure, the phase change element including three connected portions, wherein:
- a first portion is disposed over the heater structure;
- a second portion is disposed over the first sidewall of the heater structure;
- and
- a third portion is disposed over a first portion of the top surface of the substrate adjacent to and spaced apart from the first sidewall of the heater structure.
A method for making a phase change device, comprising:
- providing a substrate comprising a top surface;
- forming a layer of heater material over the substrate;
- depositing a first dielectric layer over the layer of heater material, the first dielectric layer comprising a thermally insulating and electrically insulating material;
- patterning the first dielectric layer and the layer of heater material to form a first dielectric region over a heater structure;
- depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric region and the heater structure, the second dielectric layer comprising a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material;
- removing portions of the second dielectric layer to form a second dielectric region over a first sidewall of the heater structure;
- depositing and patterning a layer of phase change material to form a phase change element over the first dielectric region, the second dielectric region, and a first portion of the top surface of the substrate extending away from the second dielectric region and the heater structure;
- and
- depositing a conductive material over the phase change element and patterning the conductive material to form a first conductive region over the first dielectric region and a second conductive region over the first portion of the top surface of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.