PCM SWITCH AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20170365427A1
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: BORODULIN, PAVEL, EL-HINNAWY, NABIL ABDEL-MEGUID, YOUNG, ROBERT MILES
• Granted Patent: US 10,700,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0004 comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/061 Patterning of the switching material
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/231 based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/253 having three or more terminals, e.g. transistor-like devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/823 adapted for essentially horizontal current flow, e.g. bridge type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8613 Heating or cooling means other than resistive heating electrodes, e.g. heater in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8828 Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

One example includes a method for making a switch. The method includes forming an insulating layer over a substrate. The method also includes forming a resistive heating material over the insulating layer. The method also includes depositing a thermally conductive electrically insulating barrier layer over the heating material. The method also includes forming a phase-change material (PCM) component over the barrier layer spaced apart and proximal to the resistive heating material. The method also includes forming a quench layer proximal to at least one of the resistive heating material and the PCM component. The method further includes forming conductive lines from ends of the PCM component and control lines from ends of the resistive heating material.

Claims

1. A method for making a switch, the method comprising:

forming an insulating layer over a substrate;

forming a resistive heating material over the insulating layer;

depositing a thermally conductive electrically insulating barrier layer over the heating material;

forming a phase-change material (PCM) component over the barrier layer spaced apart and proximal to the resistive heating material;

forming a quench layer proximal to at least one of the resistive heating material and the PCM component; and

forming conductive lines from ends of the PCM component and control lines from ends of the resistive heating material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the quench layer comprises forming the quench layer over the PCM component and the conductive lines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the quench layer comprises forming the quench layer over the insulating layer, wherein forming the resistive heating material comprises forming the resistive heating material over the quench layer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising polishing the quench layer to provide a substantially planar surface of the quench layer on which the resistive heating material is formed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the insulating layer is a first insulating layer, the method further comprising forming a second insulating layer in contact with at least one peripheral surface of the resistive heating material over the quench layer, such that the second insulating layer and the resistive heating material overlie the quench layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the quench layer comprises:

forming a first quench layer over the insulating layer;

polishing the first quench layer to provide a substantially planar surface, wherein forming the resistive heating material comprises forming the resistive heating material over the substantially planar surface of the first quench layer; and

forming a second quench layer over the PCM component and the conductive lines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the quench layer comprises forming the quench layer as one of Aluminum Nitride (AlN), Silicon (Si), Silicon Carbide (SiC), or diamond.

8. A phase-change material (PCM) switch comprising:

a resistive heating material;

a PCM component proximal to the resistive heating material;

a thermally conductive electrically insulating barrier layer positioned between the PCM component and the resistive heating material;

a quench layer in contact with at least one of the resistive heating material and the PCM component, the quench layer being configured to dissipate heat associated with at least one of the resistive heating material and the PCM component;

conductive lines extending from ends of the PCM component and control lines extending from ends of the resistive heating material.

9. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the PCM component overlies the resistive heating material.

10. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the resistive heating material overlies the PCM component.

11. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the resistive heating material comprises a first resistive heating material that overlies the PCM component and a second resistive heating material in which the PCM component overlies the second resistive heating material.

12. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the resistive heating material is formed with four sides that substantially surround at least a portion of the PCM component.

13. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the quench layer is formed overlying the PCM component and the conductive lines.

14. The PCM switch of claim 8, further comprising an insulating layer overlying a substrate, wherein the quench layer is formed overlying the insulating layer and wherein the resistive heating material is formed overlying the quench layer.

15. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the quench layer is a first quench layer formed overlying the PCM component and the conductive lines, the PCM switch further comprising:

an insulating layer overlying a substrate; and

a second quench layer overlying the insulating layer, wherein the resistive heating material is formed overlying the second quench layer.

16. The PCM switch of claim 8, wherein the quench layer comprises one of Aluminum Nitride (AlN), Silicon (Si), Silicon Carbide (SiC), or diamond.

17. A method for making a switch, the method comprising:

forming an insulating layer over a substrate;

forming a resistive heating material over the insulating layer;

depositing a thermally conductive electrically insulating barrier layer over the heating material;

forming a phase-change material (PCM) component over the barrier layer spaced apart and proximal to the resistive heating material;

forming conductive lines from ends of the PCM component and control lines from ends of the resistive heating material; and

forming a quench layer over the resistive heating material and the PCM component.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the quench layer is a first quench layer, the method further comprising forming a second quench layer over the insulating layer, wherein forming the resistive heating material comprises forming the resistive heating material over the second quench layer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising polishing the second quench layer to provide a substantially planar surface of the second quench layer on which the resistive heating material is formed.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the insulating layer is a first insulating layer, the method further comprising forming a second insulating layer in contact with at least one peripheral surface of the resistive heating material over the second quench layer, such that the second insulating layer and the resistive heating material overlie the second quench layer.