# US 8,772,906 B2 · Thermally insulated phase change material cells

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- Number: US 8,772,906 B2
- Document ID: US8772906B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/948,166
- Filed: 2013-07-22
- Published: 2013-11-14
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-03
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Matthew J. BrightSky; Roger W. Cheek; Chung H. Lam; Eric A. Joseph; Bipin Rajendran; Alejandro G. Schrott; Yu Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772906B2

## CPC

- H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10N 70/063: {by etching of pre-deposited switching material layers, e.g. lithography}
- H10N 70/066: {by filling of openings, e.g. damascene method}
- H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices}
- H10N 70/8616: {Thermal insulation means}
- H10N 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Memory cell structures for phase change memory. An example memory cell structure comprising includes a bottom electrode comprised of electrically conducting material, and phase change material disposed above the bottom electrode. A layer of thermally insulating material is disposed, at least partially, between the bottom electrode and the phase change material. The thermally insulating material is comprised of Tantalum Oxide. A top electrode is comprised of electrically conducting material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A memory cell structure, the memory cell structure comprising:
a bottom electrode comprised of electrically conducting material;
a dielectric layer above the bottom electrode, the dielectric layer defining a pore;
phase change material disposed above the bottom electrode and within the pore;
thermally insulating material lining the pore and in physical contact with the dielectric layer and the phase change material, the thermally insulating material disposed, at least partially, between the bottom electrode and the phase change material; and
a top electrode comprised of electrically conducting material; and
wherein the thermally insulating material is comprised of Tantalum Oxide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The memory cell structure of claim 1, including a layer of thermally insulating material disposed, at least partially, between the phase change material and the top electrode.

### Claim 3

A memory cell structure, the memory cell structure comprising:
a bottom electrode comprised of electrically conducting material;
a dielectric layer above the bottom electrode, the dielectric layer defining a pore;
phase change material disposed above the bottom electrode and within the pore;
thermally insulating material lining the pore and positioned between the dielectric layer and the phase change material, the thermally insulating material being in physical contact with both the bottom electrode and the phase change material; and
a top electrode comprised of electrically conducting material; and
wherein the thermally insulating material is disposed, at least partially, between the bottom electrode and the phase change material.