Apparatuses and/or methods for operating a memory cell as an anti-fuse
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorAndrea Redaelli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to operating a memory cell as an anti-fuse, such as for use in phase change memory, for example.
Claims16
A method of operating a phase change memory (PCM) cell as an anti-fuse, the PCM cell comprising phase change material in electrical contact with a metal plug along an electrical path between two electrodes;
- the method comprising:
- providing a voltage across the two electrodes so as to provide a forward biased current pulse;
- the forward biased current pulse resulting in electro-migration from the metal plug so as to form a metallic path through the phase change material of the PCM cell, wherein the PCM cell is included in a memory array;
- and
- operating an other PCM cell in the memory array as a fuse, wherein operating the other PCM cell in the memory array as a fuse comprises forming a void in the other PCM cell.
A method of operating a phase change memory (PCM) cell as an anti-fuse, the PCM cell comprising phase change material in electrical contact with a metal plug along an electrical path between two electrodes;
- the method comprising:
- providing a voltage across the two electrodes so as to provide a forward biased current pulse;
- the forward biased current pulse resulting in electro-migration from the metal plug so as to form a metallic path through the phase change material of the PCM cell, wherein the forward biased current pulse has a duration approximately in a range of from approximately 1 microseconds to approximately 10 milliseconds.
A method of operating a phase change memory (PCM) cell as an anti-fuse, the PCM cell comprising phase change material in electrical contact with a metal plug along an electrical path between two electrodes;
- the method comprising:
- providing a voltage across the two electrodes so as to provide a forward biased current pulse;
- the forward biased current pulse resulting in electro-migration from the metal plug so as to form a metallic path through the phase change material of the PCM cell, wherein the forward biased current pulse has a current level approximately in a range of from approximately 1 milliamp to approximately 5 milliamps.
A method of operating a phase change memory (PCM) cell as an anti-fuse, the PCM cell comprising phase change material in electrical contact with a metal plug along an electrical path between two electrodes;
- the method comprising:
- providing a voltage across the two electrodes so as to provide a forward biased current pulse;
- the forward biased current pulse resulting in electro-migration from the metal plug so as to form a metallic path through the phase change material of the PCM cell, wherein the forward biased current pulse has a current density approximately in a range of from approximately 500 MegaAmps/cm2 to approximately 1000 MegaAmps/cm2.
A method comprising:
- applying a voltage across a first electrode and second electrode;
- providing a forward biased current pulse to a phase change memory (PCM) storage component of a PCM cell based at least in part on the voltage, wherein a duration for which the forward biased current pulse is applied, or a density of the forward biased current pulse, or both, are configured to form a resistance path through the PCM storage component;
- and
- forming a void in the PCM cell, wherein the void is formed in the PCM storage component, adjacent to the PCM storage component, or a combination thereof.
An apparatus comprising:
- a phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising:
- a PCM storage component;
- a metal plug;
- and
- a selector configured to provide a forward bias through the metal plug to the PCM storage component, wherein the forward bias is configured to cause migration of metallic ions from the metal plug to form a resistance path through the PCM storage component, and wherein the resistance path is at least partially surrounded by the PCM storage component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.