# US 9,520,555 B2 · Method, system, and device for phase change memory switch wall cell with approximately horizontal electrode contact

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- Number: US 9,520,555 B2
- Document ID: US9520555B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/642,484
- Filed: 2015-03-09
- Published: 2015-07-02
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-01
- Assignees: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer; Innocenzo Tortorelli
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520555B2

## CPC

- H10N 70/841: {Electrodes}
- G11C 13/0004: {comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells}
- G11C 13/003: {Cell access}
- H10B 63/20: {comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes}
- 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 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices}
- H10N 70/882: {Compounds of sulfur, selenium or tellurium, e.g. chalcogenides}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein may include depositing a storage component material over and/or in a trench in a dielectric material, including depositing the storage component material on approximately vertical walls of the trench and a bottom of the trench. Embodiments may also include etching the storage component material so that at least a portion of the storage component material remains on the approximately vertical walls and the bottom of the trench, wherein the trench is contacting an electrode and a selector such that storage component material on the bottom of the trench contacts the electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A memory device, comprising:
a memory array comprising a memory cell, wherein the memory cell comprises a memory storage component comprising an “L” shape, wherein the memory storage component comprises:
a lower approximately horizontal portion, wherein the lower approximately horizontal portion is in contact with a first electrode line; and
an approximately vertical portion extending from the lower approximately horizontal portion, wherein the approximately vertical portion extends vertically from the lower approximately horizontal portion and is in contact with a second electrode line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein, the first and second electrode lines are in electrical communication with the memory cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode line is substantially orthogonal to the second electrode line, and wherein the memory storage component is substantially at an intersection of the first electrode line and the second electrode line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, further comprising a selector between the memory storage component and the first electrode line.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the selector is separated a separation length from an adjacent selector, and wherein the memory device further comprises a selector material having a thickness extending from the selector to the adjacent selector, the thickness of the selector material being less than the separation length.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the selector comprises a first chalcogenide material and the memory storage component comprises a second chalcogenide material different from the first chalcogenide material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, further comprising a third electrode line between the memory storage component and the selector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the approximately vertical portion of the memory storage component directly contacts the second electrode line and the approximately horizontal portion of the memory storage component directly contacts the third electrode line.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the selector and the third electrode line are substantially at the intersection of the first electrode line and the second electrode line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the memory array is a multi-deck memory array, the multi-deck memory array comprising an additional memory storage component comprising an “L” shape over the second electrode line.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
a memory array comprising a memory cell, wherein the memory cell comprises a memory storage component comprising an “L” shape, wherein the memory storage component comprises:
a lower approximately horizontal portion, wherein the lower approximately horizontal portion is in contact with a first electrode line; and
an approximately vertical portion extending from the lower approximately horizontal portion, wherein the approximately vertical portion extends vertically from the lower approximately horizontal portion and is in contact with a second electrode line;
a processor to initiate a memory access command to access the memory array; and
a memory controller configured to process the memory access command from the processor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein a first width of the approximately vertical portion of the memory storage component in a first direction is equal to about a thickness of a storage component material formed on an approximately vertical wall of a first trench formed in a dielectric material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein a second width of the approximately vertical portion of the memory storage component in a second direction is equal to about a distance between two adjacent additional trenches formed in one or more materials of the memory device, wherein the first trench is substantially orthogonal to the two adjacent additional trenches.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second electrode lines in electrical communication with the memory cell.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the first electrode line is substantially orthogonal to the second electrode line, and wherein the memory storage component is substantially at an intersection of the first electrode line and the second electrode line.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the memory array is a multi-deck memory array, the multi-deck memory array comprising an additional memory storage component comprising an “L” shape over the second electrode line.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a selector between the first electrode line and the memory storage component.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the memory array further comprises a third electrode line between the memory storage component and the selector.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the third electrode line and the selector are substantially at the intersection of the first electrode line and the second electrode line.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the memory storage component forms a part of a phase change memory with a selector (PCMS) cell.