# US 9,040,949 B2 · Information recording device and method of manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,949 B2 - Document ID: US9040949B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/051,636 - Filed: 2011-03-18 - Published: 2011-10-06 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-31 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Yuichiro Mitani; Daisuke Matsushita; Shosuke Fujii - Inventors: Yuichiro Mitani; Daisuke Matsushita; Shosuke Fujii - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040949B2 ## CPC - H10N 70/041: {Modification of switching materials after formation, e.g. doping (shaping H10N70/061)} - G11C 11/56: using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency - G11C 11/5614: {using conductive bridging RAM [CBRAM] or programming metallization cells [PMC]} - G11C 11/5664: {using organic memory material storage elements} - G11C 11/5685: {using storage elements comprising metal oxide memory material, e.g. perovskites} - H10B 63/30: {comprising selection components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors} - 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 70/245: {the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells} - H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices} - G11C 2213/33: Material including silicon - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract According to one embodiment, an information recording device includes first and second electrodes, a variable resistance layer between the first and second electrodes, and a control circuit which controls the variable resistance layer to n (n is a natural number except 1) kinds of resistance. The variable resistance layer comprises a material filled between the first and second electrodes, and particles arranged in a first direction from the first electrode to the second electrode in the material, and each of the particles has a resistance lower than that of the material. A resistance of the variable resistance layer is decided by a short between the first electrode and at least one of the particles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information recording device comprising: first and second electrodes; a variable resistance layer between the first and second electrodes; and a control circuit which controls the variable resistance layer to n (n is a natural number except 1) kinds of resistance, wherein the variable resistance layer comprises a material filled between the first and second electrodes, and particles arranged in a first direction from the first electrode to the second electrode in the material, and each of the particles has a resistance lower than that of the material, wherein a resistance of the variable resistance layer is decided by a short between the first electrode and at least one of the particles via a filament made of Ag and extending from the first electrode into the variable resistance layer under control of the control circuit, the first electrode includes Ag, and the particles includes one of Co, Pb, Ge, Mo and W. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the resistance of the variable resistance layer is decided by a length of the filament which is provided between the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein a density of the particles becomes smaller from the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein an interval in the first direction of the particles becomes wider from the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the particles are one of metal particles and silicide particles, and a size of each of the particles ranges from 0.5 nm to 100 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the material is one of an amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and a metal sulfide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the information recording device includes multiple level cell. ### Claim 8 An information recording device comprising: first and second electrodes; a variable resistance layer between the first and second electrodes; and a control circuit which controls the variable resistance layer to n (n is a natural number except 1) kinds of resistance, wherein the variable resistance layer comprises a material filled between the first and second electrodes, and particles arranged in a first direction from the first electrode to the second electrode in the material, and each of the particles has a resistance lower than that of the material, wherein a resistance of the variable resistance layer is decided by a short between the first electrode and at least one of the particles via a filament made of Cu and extending from the first electrode into the variable resistance layer under control of the control circuit, the first electrode includes Cu, and the particles include one of Co and Nb. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the resistance of the variable resistance layer is decided by a length of the filament which is provided between the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein a density of the particles becomes smaller from the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein an interval in the first direction of the particles becomes wider from the first electrode to the second electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the particles are one of metal particles and silicide particles, and a size of each of the particles ranges from 0.5 nm to 100 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the material is one of an amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and a metal sulfide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the information recording device includes multiple level cell.