High density chalcogenide memory cells
AssigneeMacronix International Co., Ltd.
InventorHsiang-Lan Lung
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Abstract
A non-volatile memory cell is constructed from a chalcogenide alloy structure and an associated electrode side wall. The electrode is manufactured with a predetermined thickness and juxtaposed against a side wall of the chalcogenide alloy structure, wherein at least one of the side walls is substantially perpendicular to a planar surface of the substrate. The thickness of the electrode is used to control the size of the active region created within the chalcogenide alloy structure. Additional memory cells can be created along rows and columns to form a memory matrix. The individual memory cells are accessed through address lines and address circuitry created during the formation of the memory cells. A computer can thus read and write data to particular non-volatile memory cells within the memory matrix.
Claims9
A phase change memory cell, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
- an insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate, the insulating layer including an opening, the opening having a side;
- a first electrode covered by the insulating layer having a contact surface on the side of the opening;
- a second electrode within the opening;
- a memory element on the side of the opening, having a first surface in contact with the contact surface of the first electrode, and having a second surface in contact with the second electrode, the second surface opposite the first surface within the opening.
A memory structure, comprising:
- an address column of conductive material having a perimeter and extending in a first direction;
- a first electrode having a side wall facing the perimeter of the address column;
- a memory element separating the perimeter of the address column from the first electrode, wherein the memory element includes a storage region between the perimeter of the address column and the side wall of the first electrode;
- an address row of conductive material extending in a second direction and electrically coupled to the first electrode;
- the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- the side wall being oriented generally parallel to the first direction and generally perpendicular to the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.