Structure of chalcogenide memory element

• US 6,707,087 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Brocklin, Andrew L., Fricke, Peter, Koll, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, BRADLEY
• Application Number:
  US10/177,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 257/296, 257/288, 257/298, 257/798, 438/800, 438/96, 438/257
• US Class Current: 257/296
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0004 comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/71 Three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/72 Array wherein the access device being a diode
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/20 comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/82 the switching components having a common active material layer
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/84 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, e.g. 3D cell arrays
• 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 70/826 adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8265 on sidewalls of dielectric structures, e.g. mesa or cup type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8413 adapted for resistive heating
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8828 Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/884 Other compounds of groups 13-15, e.g. elemental or compound semiconductors

Abstract

A memory structure that includes a control element electrode, a heater electrode, a memory element electrode, a chalcogenide based memory element disposed between the memory element electrode and the heater electrode, and a control element disposed between the heater electrode and the control element electrode.

Claims

1. A memory structure comprising:

a control element electrode;

a heater electrode;

a memory element electrode;

a chalcogenide based memory element disposed between said memory element electrode and said heater electrode; and

a control element disposed between said heater electrode and said control element electrode.

2. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said heater electrode comprises tungsten.

3. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said heater electrode comprises titanium.

4. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said chalcogenide based memory element comprises germanium telluride.

5. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said chalcogenide based memory element comprises material selected from the group consisting of GaSb, InSb, InSe, Sb2Te3, Ge2Sb2Te5, InSbTe, SnSb2Te4, InSbGe, AgInSbTe, (GeSn)SbTe, GeSb(SeTe), Te81Ge15Sb2S2 and GeSbTe.

6. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said control element comprises a tunnel junction device.

7. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said control element comprises an oxide of said control element electrode.

8. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said control element comprises a diode.

9. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said control element is selected from the group consisting of a recrystallized semiconductor, junction field effect transistor, a junction field effect transistor with its gate connected to its source or drain, a four-layer diode, an NPN transistor, and a PNP transistor.

10. An integrated circuit including the memory structure of claim 1.

11. An integrated circuit embedding the memory structure of claim 1.

12. A memory carrier including the memory structure of claim 1.

13. An electronic device configured to receive the memory carrier of claim 12.

14. An electronic device including the memory structure of claim 1.

15. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater tubwell having a rim and a base; and

said chalcogenide based memory element is disposed on said rim of said heater tubwell.

16. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater tubwell having a rim and a base; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a portion of a chalcogenide layer adjacent said rim of said heater tubwell.

17. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater tubwell having a rim and a base; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a chalcogenide tubwell.

18. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater tubwell having a rim and a base; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a chalcogenide via fill.

19. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater via fill having a top surface; and

said chalcogenide based memory element is disposed on said top surface of said heater via fill.

20. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater via fill; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a portion of a chalcogenide layer adjacent said heater via fill.

21. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater via fill; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a chalcogenide tubwell.

22. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

said heater electrode comprises a heater via fill; and

said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a chalcogenide via fill.

23. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said memory electrode includes a thermal conduction reducing electrode component.

24. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said memory electrode includes a thermal conduction reducing conductive via fill and a memory selection conductor.

25. The memory structure of claim 1 wherein said memory electrode includes a thermal conduction reducing conductive tub well and a memory selection conductor.

26. A memory structure comprising:

a control element electrode;

a heater electrode;

a memory element electrode;

a chalcogenide based memory element disposed between said memory element electrode and said heater electrode; and

a control tunnel junction disposed between said heater electrode and said control element electrode.

27. The memory structure of claim 26 wherein said heater electrode comprises tungsten.

28. The memory structure of claim 26 wherein said heater electrode comprises titanium.

29. The memory structure of claim 26 wherein said chalcogenide based memory element comprises germanium telluride.

30. The memory structure of claim 26 wherein said chalcogenide based memory element comprises material selected from the group consisting of GaSb, InSb, InSe, Sb2Te3, Ge2Sb2Te5, InSbTe, SnSb2Te4, InSbGe, AgInSbTe, (GeSn)SbTe, GeSb(SeTe), Te81Ge15Sb2S2 and GeSbTe.

31. A memory structure comprising:

a control element electrode;

a heater electrode comprising material selected from the group consisting of tungsten and titanium;

a memory element electrode;

a chalcogenide based memory element disposed between said memory element electrode and said heater electrode;

said chalcogenide based memory element comprising material selected from the group consisting of GeTe, GaSb, InSb, InSe, Sb2Te3, Ge2Sb2Te5, InSbTe, SnSb2Te4, InSbGe, AgInSbTe, (GeSn)SbTe, GeSb(SeTe), Te81Ge15Sb2S2 and GeSbTe; and

a control element disposed between said heater electrode and said control element electrode.

32. The memory structure of claim 31 wherein said heater electrode comprises a heater tubwell.

33. The memory structure of claim 31 wherein said chalcogenide based memory element comprises a chalcogenide tubwell.

34. The memory structure of claim 31 wherein said memory element electrode includes a thermal conduction reducing conductor.

35. A memory structure comprising:

a control electrode;

a heater electrode;

a memory electrode;

means, disposed between said memory electrode and said heater electrode, for storing a memory state using a chalcogenide based memory element; and

a control element disposed between said heater electrode and said control electrode.