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US 7,405,418 B2Granted
Memory device electrode with a surface structure
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsThomas Happ, Cay-Uwe Pinnow, Michael Kund
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a memory device electrode, in particular for a resistively switching memory device, wherein the surface of the electrode is provided with a structure, in particular comprises one or a plurality of shoulders or projections, respectively. Furthermore, the invention relates to a memory cell comprising at least one such electrode, a memory device, as well as a method for manufacturing a memory device electrode.
Claims18
A memory cell, comprising:
- a layer with an upper surface and a bottom surface, the upper surface of the layer provided with a structure having a plurality of recesses;
- an electrode with an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of the electrode contacting the upper surface of the layer, wherein the electrode is disposed on the layer such that the upper surface of the electrode is provided with a structure substantially corresponding to the structure of the upper surface of the layer and having a plurality of shoulders or projections substantially corresponding to the plurality of recesses on the upper surface of the layer;
- and
- an active material layer, with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the active material layer contacts the bottom surface of the layer, and wherein the top surface of the active material layer contacts the electrode through the plurality of shoulders or projections.
1 more element
A resistively switching memory cell, comprising:
- at least one electrode having an upper and a lower surface, the lower surface of the electrode disposed on an upper surface of a layer, the electrode having a substantially constant thickness such that the upper surface of the electrode is provided with a structure substantially corresponding to a structure of the upper surface of the layer and having a plurality of shoulders or projections substantially corresponding to shoulders or projections of the upper surface of the layer;
- and
- a lower surface of an active material layer in contact with the upper surface of the electrode, wherein the contact is made through the plurality of shoulders or projections on the upper surface of the electrode.
A method for manufacturing a memory cell, the method comprising:
- producing a layer with an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of the layer provided with a structure having a plurality of recesses;
- forming an electrode with an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the electrode contacting the lower surface of the layer, wherein the lower surface of the electrode and the upper surface of the electrode comprise a plurality of shoulders or projections that are substantially identical and parallel to each other, and wherein the plurality of shoulders or projections on the upper surface of the electrode substantially corresponds to the plurality of recesses on the lower surface of the layer;
- and
- contacting an upper surface of an active material layer with the lower surface of the electrode, wherein the contacting is made through the plurality of shoulders or projections on the lower surface of the electrode.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing a memory cell, the method comprising:
- forming a first electrode layer;
- depositing an active material layer over a top surface of the first electrode layer;
- forming a dielectric layer over the active material layer;
- depositing and patterning a photoresist layer over the dielectric layer;
- etching the dielectric layer to expose the active material layer using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, wherein the etching forms pyramidal recesses in the dielectric layer;
- and
- depositing a conformal second electrode layer over the dielectric layer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.