# US 8,772,122 B2 · Programmable metallization memory cell with layered solid electrolyte structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,122 B2 - Document ID: US8772122B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/940,547 - Filed: 2013-07-12 - Published: 2013-12-12 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-01-30 - Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC - Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC - Inventors: Nurul Amin; Insik Jin; Wei Tian; Andrew James Wirebaugh; Venugopalan Vaithyanathan; Ming Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772122B2 ## CPC - H10N 70/011: {Manufacture or treatment of multistable switching devices} - H10N 70/245: {the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells} - H10N 70/8416: {adapted for supplying ionic species} - H10N 70/881: {Switching materials} - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Programmable metallization memory cells having an active electrode, an opposing inert electrode and a variable resistive element separating the active electrode from the inert electrode. The variable resistive element includes a plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers. The electrically conductive layers electrically couple the active electrode to the inert electrode in a programmable metallization memory cell. Methods to form the same are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a programmable metallization memory cell comprising: forming a first electrode; forming a variable resistive element by depositing a plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers comprising an electrochemically inert metal on the first electrode; and depositing a second electrode on the variable resistive element, the electrically conductive layers electrically couple the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises an inert metal comprising platinum, tungsten, nickel, molybdenum, gold, palladium, or rhodium and the second electrode comprises an active metal comprising silver or copper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising depositing an insulator layer and masking and etching the insulator layer to provide a step height to facilitate the depositing the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers step and provide the alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers in a non-parallel relation to the first electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising depositing a switching layer to separate the variable resistive element from the second electrode, wherein the switching layer comprises a solid electrolyte. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising forming an angled insulator layer and wherein the depositing the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers step comprises depositing the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers at an angle relative to the first electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the angled insulator layer forms a deposition plane that is at an angle from 1 to 89 degrees from a major surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the angled insulator layer forms a deposition plane that is at an angle from 10 to 75 degrees from a major surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the angled insulator layer forms a deposition plane that is at an angle from 25 to 50 degrees from a major surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layers have a thickness of less than 100 Angstroms. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein a surface plane of the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers is orthogonal to a surface plane of the second electrode or the first electrode. ### Claim 11 A method of forming a programmable metallization memory cell comprising: forming a first electrode; forming an angled insulator layer on the first electrode; forming a variable resistive element by depositing a plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers on the angled insulator layer, the solid electrolyte layers and the electrically conductive metal layers are parallel to each other and layered in an alternating fashion, the plurality of parallel alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers extend in a non-parallel direction with the first electrode and at an angle relative to the first electrode in a range from 10 to 75 degrees; and depositing a second electrode on the variable resistive element, the electrically conductive layers electrically couple the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, further comprising depositing an insulator layer and masking and etching the insulator layer to provide a step height to facilitate the depositing the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers step and provide the alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers in a non-parallel relation to the first electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, further comprising depositing a switching layer to separate the variable resistive element from the second electrode, wherein the switching layer comprises a solid electrolyte. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the electrically conductive layers comprise an electrochemically inert metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the angled insulator layer forms a deposition plane that is at an angle from 25 to 50 degrees from a major surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the electrically conductive layers have a thickness of less than 100 Angstroms. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein a surface plane of the plurality of alternating solid electrolyte layers and electrically conductive layers is orthogonal to a surface plane of the second electrode or the first electrode.