Electrically programmable link structures and methods of making same

An electrically programmable link structure comprising:

• a lower conductive element;
• a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure of a silicon oxide layer interposed between silicon nitride layers, the silicon oxide layer having the thickness greater than about 5 nm;
• and
• an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying over the between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive.

An electrically programmable link structure comprising:

• a lower conductive element;
• a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure comprising a silicon oxide layer and at least one silicon nitride layer formed by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition;
• and
• an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive, wherein the transformable insulator material comprises the silicon oxide layer interposed between silicon nitride layers.

An electrically programmable link structure comprising:

• a lower conductive element;
• a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a silicon oxide layer having a thickness greater than 5 nm and at least one barrier layer;
• and
• an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between the upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of the insulator material, the insulator material is rendered conductive, wherein the silicon oxide layer is interposed between silicon nitride barrier layers.

An electrically programmable link structure comprising:

• a lower conductive element comprising aluminum;
• a transformable insulator material disposed over a portion of the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwich structure comprising a silicon oxide layer formed between silicon nitride layers through a low temperature deposition process, the oxide layer being of low quality and of a thickness greater than 5 nm;
• and
• an upper conductive element comprising aluminum disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage of less than 13 volts between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material is rendered conductive.