Electrically programmable link structures and methods of making same
First Claim
1. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
- a lower conductive element;
a transformable insulator material disposed over a portion of the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure comprising a silicon oxide layer formed between silicon nitride layer; and
an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive.
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Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for fabricating electrically programmable link structures by fabricating a first conductor, which comprises a refractory conductive material, then fabricating an insulative link material over the refractory conductive material and, subsequently, depositing an upper conductive material over the link material. In use, an electrical path can be formed between the first and second conductive elements by applying a voltage between such elements across at least one selected region of the insulator, such that the insulative link material is transformed in the region and rendered conductive to form an electrical signal path. The link material is preferably a silicon oxide insulator and
The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. F19628-90-C-0002 awarded by the Department of the Air Force.
259 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
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a lower conductive element; a transformable insulator material disposed over a portion of the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure comprising a silicon oxide layer formed between silicon nitride layer; and an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
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a lower conductive element; a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure of a silicon oxide layer interposed between silicon nitride layers, the silicon oxide layer having the thickness greater than about 5 nm; and an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying over the between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
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a lower conductive element; a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwiched structure comprising a silicon oxide layer and at least one silicon nitride layer formed by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition; and an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material can be rendered conductive, wherein the transformable insulator material comprises the silicon oxide layer interposed between silicon nitride layers. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
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a lower conductive element; a transformable insulator material disposed over the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a silicon oxide layer having a thickness greater than 5 nm and at least one barrier layer; and an upper conductive element disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage between the upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of the insulator material, the insulator material is rendered conductive, wherein the silicon oxide layer is interposed between silicon nitride barrier layers. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. An electrically programmable link structure comprising:
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a lower conductive element comprising aluminum; a transformable insulator material disposed over a portion of the lower conductive element, the transformable insulator material comprising a sandwich structure comprising a silicon oxide layer formed between silicon nitride layers through a low temperature deposition process, the oxide layer being of low quality and of a thickness greater than 5 nm; and an upper conductive element comprising aluminum disposed over the insulator material, such that by applying a voltage of less than 13 volts between said upper and lower conductive elements across at least one selected region of said insulator material, the insulator material is rendered conductive.
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Specification