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US 7,067,837 B2Granted
Phase-change memory devices
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoung-Nam Hwang, Young-Tae Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Phase-change memory devices include a phase-change material layer and a first electrode having a contact area therebetween. The contact area extends into a recess of the first electrode to provide current density concentration.
Claims20
A phase-change memory device comprising:
- a phase-change material layer and a first electrode having a contact area therebetween that extends into a recess of the first electrode to provide current density concentration adjacent thereto, wherein the phase change material layer directly contacts the first electrode throughout the recess.
A phase-change memory device comprising:
- a phase-change material layer and a first electrode having a contact area therebetween that extends into a recess of the first electrode to provide current density concentration adjacent thereto, wherein a portion of the phase-change material layer extending into the recess of the first electrode comprises a tapering tip of a vertical part of the phase-change material layer that contacts the first electrode at the contact area and wherein the phase-change material layer further includes a horizontal part extending above the vertical part and wherein the phase-change memory device further comprises a second electrode on the horizontal part;
- and
- wherein the first electrode comprises:
- a recessed slope part contacting the tip of the vertical part;
- and
- a horizontal part extending from the recessed slope part and separated from the horizontal part of the phase-change material layer by an insulator.
3 more elements
A phase-change memory device comprising:
- a phase-change material layer and a first electrode having a contact area therebetween that extends into a recess of the first electrode to provide current density concentration adjacent thereto, wherein a portion of the phase-change material layer extending into the recess of the first electrode comprises a tapering tip of a vertical part of the phase-change material layer that contacts the first electrode at the contact area and wherein the phase-change material layer further includes a horizontal part extending above the vertical part and wherein the phase-change memory device further comprises a second electrode on the horizontal part;
- an integrated circuit substrate;
- an interlayer dielectric layer on the integrated circuit substrate;
- a first insulation layer on the interlayer dielectric layer and having a sloped opening having a first minimum diameter therein, the first electrode having a vertical part formed in the sloped opening and a horizontal part formed on the first insulation layer;
- a second insulation layer on the first electrode and having a second opening having a maximum diameter greater than the minimum diameter of the sloped opening therein and extending to the vertical part of the first electrode, wherein the vertical part of the phase-change material layer is formed in the second opening and a horizontal part of the phase-change material layer is formed on the second insulation layer;
- and
- a second electrode on the phase-change material layer.
4 more elements
A phase-change memory device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a first insulation layer on the semiconductor substrate, the first insulation layer having a first opening defined by an upper sloped sidewall part and a bottom vertical sidewall part extending from the upper sloped sidewall part;
- a first electrode disposed in the first opening and on the first insulation layer, the first electrode having a recessed slope part in the first opening and a horizontal part on the first insulation layer outside of the first opening;
- a second insulation layer on the first electrode, the second insulation layer having a second opening that exposes the recessed slope part of the first electrode;
- a phase-change material layer disposed in the second opening and on the second insulation layer;
- and
- a second electrode on the phase-change material layer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.