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US 6,563,156 B2Granted
Memory elements and methods for making same
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorSteven T. Harshfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Annular, linear, and point contact structures are described which exhibit a greatly reduced susceptibility to process deviations caused by lithographic and deposition variations than does a conventional circular contact plug. In one embodiment, a standard conductive material such as carbon or titanium nitride is used to form the contact. In an alternative embodiment, a memory material itself is used to form the contact. These contact structures may be made by various processes, including chemical mechanical planarization and facet etching.
Claims7
A memory cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a structure protruding from the substrate, the structure having at least one corner, the structure comprising one of a first conductive material and a first memory material;
- a layer of insulating material disposed over the structure in a manner that leaves the at least one corner of the structure exposed to form at least one point contact;
- at least one layer of material disposed over the at least one point contact, the at least one layer of material comprising a second conductive material if the structure comprises the first memory material, and the at least one layer of material comprising a second memory material if the structure comprises the first conductive material;
- and
- a conductive layer disposed over the at least one layer of material if the at least one layer of material comprises the second memory material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.