Method for reducing a reset current for resetting a portion of a phase change material in a memory cell of a phase change memory device and the phase change memory device
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsChang-Wook Jeong, Jun-Hyok Kong, Ji-Hye Yi, Beak-Hyung Cho
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the phase change material including a first crystalline phase is converted to one of a second crystalline phase and an amorphous phase. The second crystalline phase transitions to the amorphous phase more easily than the first crystalline phase. For example, the first crystalline phase may be a hexagonal closed packed structure, and the first crystalline phase may be a face centered cubic structure.
Claims12
A method of reducing a reset current for resetting a portion of phase change material in a memory cell of a phase change memory device, comprising:
- forming a phase change material layer including a first crystalline phase on a substrate;
- performing a firing operation to convert at least a portion of the phase change material layer including the first crystalline phase to an amorphous phase, wherein the firing operation is a rapid thermal annealing;
- and
- applying the reset current for resetting a portion of the phase change material layer after performing the firing operation.
A method of reducing a reset current for resetting a portion of phase change material in a memory cell of a phase change memory device, comprising:
- forming a phase change material layer on a substrate;
- baking the phase change material layer to convert at least a portion of the phase change material layer to a first crystalline phase;
- performing a firing operation to convert at least the portion of the phase change material layer including the first crystalline phase to one of a second crystalline phase and an amorphous phase;
- and
- applying the reset current for resetting the portion of the phase change material layer after performing the firing operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.