Multi-level cell resistance random access memory with metal oxides

• US 7,697,316 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lai, Erh-Kun, Ho, ChiaHua, Hsieh, Kuang Yeu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Hoai V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hidalgo; Fernando N
• Application Number:
  US11/567,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20080135824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 365/46, 365/55, 365/74, 365/97, 365/100, 365/131, 365/148, 365/158, 365/171, 365/173, 365/163, 257/314
• US Class Current: 365/148
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5664 using organic memory material storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5678 using amorphous/crystalline phase transition storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/00 Digital stores characterised by the use of storage elements not covered by groups G11C11/00, G11C23/00, or G11C25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0004 comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0014 comprising cells based on organic memory material
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0016 comprising polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/028 by conversion of electrode material, e.g. oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/20 Multistable switching devices, e.g. memristors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8265 on sidewalls of dielectric structures, e.g. mesa or cup type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8833 Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx

Abstract

A bistable resistance random access memory comprises a plurality of programmable resistance random access memory cells where each programmable resistance random access memory cell includes multiple memory members for performing multiple bits for each memory cell. The bistable RRAM includes a first resistance random access member connected to a second resistance random access member through interconnect metal liners and metal oxide strips. The first resistance random access member has a first resistance value Ra, which is determined from the thickness of the first resistance random access member based on the deposition of the first resistance random access member. The second resistance random access member has a second resistance value Rb, which is determined from the thickness of the second resistance random access member based on the deposition of the second resistance random access member.

Claims

1. A resistance random access memory structure, comprising:

a first resistive memory member having a first metal oxide strip at a first position and a second metal oxide strip at a second position, the first position spaced apart from the second position;

a second resistive memory member disposed above the first resistive memory member, the second resistive memory member having a third metal oxide strip at a third position and a fourth metal oxide strip at a fourth position, the third position spaced apart from the fourth position;

a first interconnect electrically coupling the first metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the third metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member; and

a second interconnect electrically coupling the second metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the fourth metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member,

wherein the first and second resistive memory members collectively determine at least three different memory states.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first interconnect comprises a first metal liner interconnect;

and the second interconnect comprises a second metal liner interconnect.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first interconnect comprises a first metal oxide interconnect;

and the second interconnect comprises a second metal oxide interconnect.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second resistive memory members comprise respective layers of metal separated by an insulating layer, the layers of metal having sides, and wherein the first and second positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the first resistive memory member, and the third and fourth positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the second resistive memory member.

5. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a conductive cap member over the second resistive memory member and a contact beneath the first resistive memory member.

6. The structure of claim 5, further comprising an insulating spacer between the first and second interconnects and the cap member.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the first resistive memory member has a resistance Ra and a thickness t₁, the resistance Ra correlating with the thickness t₁.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the second resistance memory member has a resistance Rb and a thickness t₂, the resistance Rb correlating with the thickness t₂.

9. The structure of claim 1, further comprising an insulating member separating the first resistive memory member and the second resistive memory member.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first resistive memory member has sides, the first and second metal oxide strips located at the sides of the first resistive memory member.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second resistive memory member has sides, the third and fourth metal oxide strips located at the sides of the second resistive memory member.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the first resistive memory member comprises a metal material; and

the first and second metal oxide strips comprise a metal oxide of the metal material of the first resistive memory member.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the first resistive memory member comprise the metal material chosen from a group consisting of Ni, Ti, Al, W, Zn, Zr and Cu.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the second resistive memory member comprises a metal material; and

the third and fourth metal oxide strips comprise an oxide of the metal material of the second resistive memory member.

15. The structure of claim 13, wherein the second resistive memory member comprises the metal material chosen from a group consisting of Ni, Ti, Al, W, Zn, Zr and Cu.

16. A resistance random access memory structure, comprising:

a first resistive memory member having a first metal oxide strip at a first position and a second metal oxide strip at a second position, the first position spaced apart from the second position;

a second resistive memory member having a third metal oxide strip at a third position and a fourth metal oxide strip at a fourth position, the third position spaced apart from the fourth position;

a first interconnect electrically coupling the first metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the third metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member;

a second interconnect electrically coupling the second metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the fourth metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member; and

an upper contact electrically contacting the second resistive memory member and a lower contact electrically contacting the first resistive memory member,

the resistive memory members, the interconnects and the contacts being arranged to provide a current path that includes the lower contact, and divides to include first and second current branches that recombine to include the upper contact, the first current branch including the first metal oxide strip, the first interconnect, and the third metal oxide strip, and the second current branch including the second metal oxide strip, the second interconnect, and the fourth metal oxide strip.

17. The structure of claim 16, wherein the first and second interconnects each comprise metal.

18. The structure of claim 16, wherein the first and second interconnects each comprise metal oxide.

19. The structure of claim 16, wherein the first and the second resistive memory members comprise respective layers of metal separated by an insulating layer, the layers of metal having sides, and wherein the first and second positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the first resistive memory member, and the third and fourth positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the second resistive memory member.

20. A resistance random access memory structure, comprising a single two-terminal memory cell that includes first and second resistive memory members and first and second interconnects, the first resistive memory member having a first metal oxide strip at a first position and a second metal oxide strip at a second position, the first position spaced apart from the second position, and a first terminal of the cell being connected to the first resistive memory member between the first and second positions, the second resistive memory member having a third metal oxide strip at a third position and a fourth metal oxide strip at a fourth position, the third position spaced apart from the fourth position, and a second terminal of the cell being connected to the second resistive memory member between the third and fourth positions, the first interconnect electrically coupling the first metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the third metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member, and the second interconnect electrically coupling the second metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the fourth metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member.

21. The structure of claim 20, wherein the first and second interconnects each comprise metal.

22. The structure of claim 20, wherein the first and second interconnects each comprise metal oxide.

23. The structure of claim 20, wherein the first and the second resistive memory members comprise respective layers of metal separated by an insulating layer, the layers of metal having sides, and wherein the first and second positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the first resistive memory member, and the third and fourth positions are on the sides of the layer of metal of the second resistive memory member.

24. A resistance random access memory structure, comprising:

a first resistive memory member disposed in a first layer of the structure, the first resistive memory member having a first electrically conductive region and having a first metal oxide strip at a first position in the first layer and a second metal oxide strip at a second position in the first layer, the first position spaced apart from the second position within the first layer and the first electrically conductive region electrically connecting the first metal oxide strip to the second metal oxide strip;

a second resistive memory member disposed in a second layer of the structure which is above the first layer of the structure, the second resistive memory member having a second electrically conductive region and having a third metal oxide strip at a third position in the second layer and a fourth metal oxide strip at a fourth position in the second layer, the third position spaced apart from the fourth position within the second layer and the second electrically conductive region electrically connecting the third metal oxide strip to the fourth metal oxide strip;

a first interconnect electrically coupling the first metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the third metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member; and

a second interconnect electrically coupling the second metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the fourth metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member.

25. A resistance random access memory structure, comprising:

a two-terminal resistive memory device including;

a first resistive memory member having a first metal oxide strip at a first position and a second metal oxide strip at a second position, the first position spaced apart from the second position;

a second resistive memory member having a third metal oxide strip at a third position and a fourth metal oxide strip at a fourth position, the third position spaced apart from the fourth position;

a first interconnect electrically coupling the first metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the third metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member;

a second interconnect electrically coupling the second metal oxide strip of the first resistive memory member and the fourth metal oxide strip of the second resistive memory member; and

a first terminal of the device electrically contacting the first resistive memory member between the first and second metal oxide strips and the second terminal of the device electrically contacting the second resistive memory member between the third and fourth metal oxide strips,

the resistive memory members, the interconnects and the contacts in the device being arranged to provide a first current path that includes the first terminal of the device, the first metal oxide strip of the device, the first interconnect of the device, the third metal oxide strip of the device, and the second terminal of the device, and a second current path that includes the first terminal of the device, the second metal oxide strip of the device, the second interconnect of the device, the fourth metal oxide strip of the device, and the second terminal of the device;

the memory structure further including;

an access switch series-connected with the device; and

a sense amplifier connected to sense a value stored in the device in dependence upon electrical resistance across the first arid second terminals of the device when the access switch is conducting.