Phase change memory device having a bent heater and method for manufacturing the same
AssigneeHynix Semiconductor Inc.
InventorHeon Yong Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A phase change memory device includes heaters which are formed in their respective memory cells and vertically positioned stack patterns having phase change layers and top electrodes which are formed to come into contact with the heaters. The heaters have horizontal cross-sectional bent shapes which can have any number of shapes such as a shape similar to that of a boomerang. The horizontal cross-sectional bent shapes of the heaters are for minimizing the contact area between the heaters and the phase change layer so that programming currents can be reduced or minimized.
Claims14
A phase change memory device comprising heaters that are formed in respective memory cells and stack patterns of a phase change layer and top electrodes that are formed to come into contact with the heaters in the respective memory cells, wherein each phase change layer is arranged in a vertical direction and has the shape of a line, wherein each heater has a horizontal cross-sectional bent shape of similar to that of a boomerang.
A phase change memory device comprising:
- a silicon substrate having a plurality of active regions that extend along a first direction of the silicon substrate and that the active regions are arranged at substantially regular intervals along a second direction on the silicon substrate such that the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
- a plurality of cell switching elements being formed on top of the active regions;
- a plurality of heaters being formed on top of the cell switching elements wherein each heater has a horizontal cross-sectional bent shape;
- a plurality of stack patterns, each stack pattern comprising a phase change layer and top electrode being formed on top of a respective heater;
- a plurality of top electrode contacts, each electrode contact being formed on top of a respective top electrode of the stack pattern;
- a plurality of bit lines being formed on top of and connected to the top electrode contacts, wherein the bit lines are substantially arranged along the second direction;
- and
- a plurality of word lines being horizontally formed along the first direction on top of the top electrode contacts wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each memory cell comprises one cell switching element;
- one heater;
- one stack pattern;
- and one top electrode contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.