# US 8,785,237 B2 · Method of forming variable resistance memory device

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- Number: US 8,785,237 B2
- Document ID: US8785237B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/625,816
- Filed: 2009-11-25
- Published: 2010-05-27
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-11-25
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Dong-Hyun Im; Hyeonggeun An; Sunglae Choi; Ik Soo Kim
- Inventors: Dong-Hyun Im; Hyeonggeun An; Sunglae Choi; Ik Soo Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785237B2

## CPC

- H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays}
- H10N 70/023: {by chemical vapor deposition, e.g. MOCVD, ALD}
- 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 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A method of forming a variable resistance memory device includes forming an opening in an insulating layer, and forming a variable resistance layer by filling the opening with an antimony rich antimony-tellurium compound.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a variable resistance memory device comprising:
forming electrically insulating material having an opening therein on an upper surface of a substrate,
wherein the opening has depth in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate, length in a first direction parallel to the upper surface, and width in a second direction parallel to the upper surface and perpendicular to the first direction, and
the opening is oblong in a bird's eye view in the first direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate; and
filling the opening completely with material, comprising antimony and tellurium, while the material is in an amorphous state to thereby form a variable resistance layer, in the opening, which is also oblong in a bird's eye view in the first direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate,
wherein the filling of the opening completely comprises depositing an antimony-tellurium compound, comprising SbxTe1-x(0.5≦x<1), on the substrate to form a layer of the compound that is buried in the opening.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the filling of the opening to form the variable resistance layer comprises:
causing a first source gas comprising antimony to diffuse throughout the opening;
causing a second source gas comprising tellurium to diffuse throughout the opening; and
controlling a reaction between the antimony and tellurium with a capping gas.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the capping gas comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of NH3, H2, N2H4, SiH4, B2H6, O2, O3 and H2O.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising doping the variable resistance layer with at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon and oxygen.

### Claim 5

A method of forming a variable resistance memory device comprising:
forming a first mold insulating layer defining a first trench extending longitudinally in a first direction, on a substrate;
forming a lower electrode layer along a side of the first trench;
forming a second mold insulating layer that fills the first trench while the lower electrode layer is disposed along the side of the first trench;
forming a second trench that extends longitudinally across the first trench in a second direction by patterning the first and second mold insulating layers and the lower electrode layer;
forming a third mold insulating layer that fills the second trench, the first, second and third mold insulating layers constituting a layer of electrically insulating material;
forming a recess in the patterned lower electrode layer; and
depositing amorphous material, comprising antimony and tellurium, into the recess to thereby form a variable resistance layer, comprising an antimony-tellurium compound, in the recess.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the compound is antimony rich.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the compound is antimony rich.

### Claim 8

A method of forming a variable resistance memory device comprising:
forming a first mold insulating layer defining a first trench extending longitudinally in a first direction, on a substrate;
forming a lower electrode layer along a side of the first trench;
forming a second mold insulating layer that fills the first trench while the lower electrode layer is disposed along the side of the first trench;
forming a second trench that extends longitudinally across the first trench in a second direction by patterning the first and second mold insulating layers and the lower electrode layer;
forming a third mold insulating layer that fills the second trench, the first, second and third mold insulating layers constituting a layer of electrically insulating material;
forming a recess in the patterned lower electrode layer; and
forming a variable resistance layer, comprising an antimony rich antimony-tellurium compound, in the recess.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the forming of the variable resistance layer comprises:
causing a first source gas comprising antimony to diffuse throughout the recess;
causing a second source gas comprising tellurium to diffuse throughout the recess; and
controlling a reaction between the antimony and tellurium with a capping gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the capping gas comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of NH3, H2, N2H4, SiH4, B2H6, O2, O3 and H2O.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising doping the variable resistance layer with at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon and oxygen.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising planarizing the variable resistance layer down to an upper surface of the insulating layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein internal sidewalls of the insulating material delimit sides of the opening, and the depositing of the antimony-tellurium compound forms the compound on and in contact with the internal sidewalls of the insulating material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of the insulating material comprises forming at least one of an oxide layer and a nitride layer on the substrate, such that the antimony-tellurium compound contacts sidewall surfaces of the oxide or nitride layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a lower electrode layer of electrically conductive material on the substrate, and
wherein the forming of the electrically insulating material having an opening therein and the forming of the lower electrode layer comprise:
forming, on the substrate, a structure comprising a layer of electrically insulating material and a preliminary lower electrode layer extending in the layer of insulating material, and wherein the preliminary lower electrode layer comprises a segment of electrically conductive material that is elongated in the first direction and has an upper surface that is exposed at an upper surface of the layer of electrically insulating material, and
etching the segment of the preliminary lower electrode layer to form said opening.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the capping gas is continuously injected into a chamber during the entire time in which the first source gas and the second gas are being injected in the chamber.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the filling of the opening comprises depositing the antimony-tellurium compound to form a blanket layer of the compound that covers the insulating material and the opening in the insulating material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the forming electrically insulating material having an opening therein on an upper surface of a substrate comprises:
forming a trench in a layer of insulating material;
forming a preliminary electrode layer along a side of the trench;
filling what remains of the trench with another layer of insulating material; and
etching back the preliminary electrode layer to simultaneously form a lower electrode on the substrate and the opening atop the lower electrode.