# US 9,040,953 B2 · Storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,953 B2 - Document ID: US9040953B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/194,787 - Filed: 2014-03-02 - Published: 2015-03-19 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-13 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Yusuke Arayashiki; Hidenori Miyagawa; Tomohito Kawashima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040953B2 ## CPC - H10N 70/245: {the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells} - H10B 63/84: {arranged in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, e.g. 3D cell arrays} - H10N 70/011: {Manufacture or treatment of multistable switching devices} - H10N 70/021: {Formation of switching materials, e.g. deposition of layers} - H10N 70/063: {by etching of pre-deposited switching material layers, e.g. lithography} - H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices} - H10N 70/841: {Electrodes} - H10N 70/8416: {adapted for supplying ionic species} - H10N 70/883: {Oxides or nitrides} - H10N 70/8833: {Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx} - H10N 70/884: {based on at least one element of group IIIA, IVA or VA, e.g. elemental or compound semiconductors (compounds of sulfur, selenium or tellurium, e.g. chalcogenides H10N70/882; oxides or nitrides H10N70/883)} - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a storage device includes first electrodes, second electrodes, a resistance change layer provided between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, and ion metal particles that are formed in an island form between the first electrodes and the resistance change layer and that contain a metal movable inside the resistance change layer. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed of a material which is more unlikely to be ionized as compared to the metal, and the first electrodes are in contact with the resistance change layer in an area around the ion metal particles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage device, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a resistance change layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a plurality of islands that are disposed between the first electrode and a surface of the resistance change layer, the plurality of islands each comprising a metal movable inside the resistance change layer, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are formed of a material which is less likely to be ionized as compared to the metal, and the first electrode is in contact with the surface of the resistance change layer at regions that are not covered by the plurality of islands. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises silver. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the resistance change layer comprises silicon oxide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and tungsten nitride. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein an amount of the metal that is disposed between the resistance change layer and the first electrode is 5 nm or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes a first wiring that extends in a first direction, and a conductive layer that is provided between the first wirings and the resistance change layer, and is in contact with the ion metal particles and the resistance change layer, and the second electrode includes a second wiring that extends in a second direction that intersects with the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, further comprising: a current limiting layer that is formed of a material having electric resistivity higher than electric resistivity of the metal, and that is provided between the second electrode and the resistance change layer. ### Claim 8 A storage device, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a resistance change layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a plurality of islands that are disposed between the first electrode and a surface of the resistance change layer, the plurality of islands each comprising a metal that will diffuse within the resistance change layer when an electrical bias is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrode is in contact with the surface of the resistance change layer at regions that are not covered by the plurality of islands. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed from a material which is less likely to be ionized as compared to the metal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein the metal comprises silver. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein the resistance change layer comprises silicon oxide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein the first electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and tungsten nitride. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein an amount of the metal, which is disposed between the resistance change layer and the first electrode, comprises an amount of material that would form a continuous layer having a thickness of 5 nm or less. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, further comprising: a current limiting layer that is formed of a material having an electric resistivity higher than an electric resistivity of the metal, and is provided between the second electrode and the resistance change layer. ### Claim 15 A method of forming a storage device, comprising: forming a first conductive layer on a surface of a substrate; forming a resistance change layer over a surface of the formed first conductive layer; forming a plurality of islands on a surface of the resistance change layer, the plurality of islands each comprising a metal; and forming a second conductive layer on a surface of the formed resistance change layer and on a surface of the plurality of islands, wherein the metal diffuses within the resistance change layer when an electrical bias is applied across a portion of the first conductive layer and the a portion of the second conductive layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are each formed from a material which is less likely to be ionized as compared to the metal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the metal comprises silver, and the resistance change layer comprises silicon oxide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and tungsten nitride. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein an amount of the metal that is used to form the plurality of islands comprises a layer of 5 nm or less. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: forming a current limiting layer between the first conductive layer and the resistance change layer, wherein an electric resistivity of the material used to form the current limiting layer is higher than electric resistivity of the metal.