Phase change material memory device
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorStefan K. Lai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A phase change memory with a very limited area of contact between the lower electrode and the phase change material may be formed by defining a closed geometric structure for the lower electrode. The lower electrode may then be covered. The covering may then be opened in a very narrow strip extending across the closed geometric shape using phase shift masking. A phase change material may be formed in the opening. Because the opening effectively bisects the closed geometric structure of the lower electrode, two very small contact areas may be created for contacting the lower electrode to the phase change material.
Claims22
A phase change memory comprising:
- an electrode on said substrate, said electrode having a substantially planer surface with a closed geometric shape;
- a layer covering substantially all of the closed geometric shape with the exception of an exposed portion;
- and
- a phase change material contacting said exposed portion.
The memory of claim 9 including an insulator underneath said layer.
A memory comprising:
- an electrode having a length;
- a layer over said electrode;
- an opening through said layer to expose only a portion of said electrode, said opening extending across the length of said electrode generally transverse to the length of said electrode;
- and
- a phase change material over said layer and extending through said opening to contact said electrode.
A memory comprising:
- an electrode having a length;
- a layer over said electrode;
- an opening through said layer to expose only a portion of said electrode, said opening extending across the length of said electrode, said opening exposing two opposed portions of said electrode;
- and
- said exposed opposed portions of said electrode are portions of a cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.