POST-FABRICATION SELF-ALIGNED INITIALIZATION OF INTEGRATED DEVICES
First Claim
1. A method of defining an active region of a phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising:
- depositing a first layer of material having a first chemical composition;
depositing a second layer of material having a second chemical composition on top of the first layer of material, andapplying an electrical current pulse to locally heat a region of the first layer of material and the second layer of material to cause at least one of an inter-diffusion and a liquid mixing of the first layer of material and the second layer of material, resulting in the PCM cell comprising a self-aligned region comprising a phase change material that is a mixture of the first chemical composition and the second chemical composition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Defining an active region of a phase change memory (PCM) cell including depositing a first layer of material having a first chemical composition. A second layer of material having a second chemical composition is deposited on top of the first layer of material. An electrical current pulse is applied to locally heat a region of the first layer of material and the second layer of material to cause at least one of an inter-diffusion and a liquid mixing of the first layer of material and the second layer of material. This results in in the PCM cell containing a self-aligned region that includes a phase change material that is a mixture of the first chemical composition and the second chemical composition.
2 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of defining an active region of a phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising:
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depositing a first layer of material having a first chemical composition; depositing a second layer of material having a second chemical composition on top of the first layer of material, and applying an electrical current pulse to locally heat a region of the first layer of material and the second layer of material to cause at least one of an inter-diffusion and a liquid mixing of the first layer of material and the second layer of material, resulting in the PCM cell comprising a self-aligned region comprising a phase change material that is a mixture of the first chemical composition and the second chemical composition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising:
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a first electrode contacting a first layer of material having a first chemical composition; a second layer of material having a second chemical composition; and a second electrode contacting the first layer of material or the second layer of material; the PCM cell configured for receiving at least one electrical current pulse flowing from the first electrode to the second electrode to locally heat a region of the first layer and the second layer to cause at least one of inter-diffusion and liquid mixing of the first layer of material and the second layer of material, resulting in a self-aligned region of phase change material having a chemical composition that is a mixture of the first chemical composition and the second chemical composition. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A design structure tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit, the design structure having a substantially planar surface, the design structure comprising:
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a phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising; a first electrode contacting a first layer of material having a first chemical composition; a second layer of material having a second chemical composition; and a second electrode contacting the first layer of material or the second layer of material; the PCM cell configured for receiving at least one electrical current pulse flowing from the first electrode to the second electrode to locally heat a region of the first layer and the second layer to cause at least one of inter-diffusion and liquid mixing of the first layer of material and the second layer of material, resulting in a self-aligned region of phase change material having a chemical composition that is a mixture of the first chemical composition and the second chemical composition. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification