Cross-point memory structures

• US 8,530,939 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Sills, Scott, Sandhu, Gurtej S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambliss, Alonzo
• Application Number:
  US13/484,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 257/211
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/22 of the metal-insulator-metal type
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/80 Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays

Abstract

Some embodiments include cross-point memory structures. The structures may include a line of first electrode material extending along a first horizontal direction, a multi-sided container of access device materials over the first electrode material, a memory element material within the multi-sided container, and a line of second electrode material over the memory element material and extending along a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the first horizontal direction. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. The methods may include forming a memory cell stack over a first electrode material, and then patterning the first electrode material and the memory cell stack into a first set of spaced lines extending along a first horizontal direction. Spaced lines of second electrode material may be formed over the first set of spaced lines, and may extend along a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the first horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A cross-point memory structure, comprising:

a line of first electrode material extending along a first direction across a silicon-containing semiconductor substrate;

the first electrode material comprising one or more of platinum, titanium nitride and tantalum nitride;

a multi-sided container of access device materials over the first electrode material, the access device materials including an electrically conductive metal-containing material and at least two insulative materials, the insulative materials being between the electrically conductive metal-containing material and the first electrode material;

memory element material within the multi-sided container; and

a line of second electrode material over the memory element material and extending along a second direction that intersects the first direction of the line of first electrode material.

2. The cross-point memory structure of claim 1 wherein the memory element material extends outwardly of the container.

3. The cross-point memory structure of claim 1 wherein the multi-sided container is a two-sided container.

4. The cross-point memory structure of claim 1 wherein the multi-sided container is a four-sided container.

5. The cross-point memory structure of claim 4 wherein the four-sided container is within a four-sided opening laterally bounded by two types of material, wherein two of the four sides of the opening are laterally bounded by one of the two types of material, and wherein another two of the four sides of the opening are laterally bounded by another of the two types of material.

6. The cross-point memory structure of claim 1 wherein:

the first electrode material has a low work function relative to the electrically conductive metal-containing material, and

the electrically conductive metal-containing material comprises one or more compositions selected from the group consisting of tantalum silicon nitride, chromium and tantalum.

7. A cross-point memory structure, comprising:

a first electrode material structure over a semiconductor substrate;

a multi-sided container of access device materials over the first electrode material structure, the access device materials including an electrically conductive metal-containing material and at least two insulative materials, the insulative materials being between the electrically conductive metal-containing material and the first electrode material;

memory element material withi the multi-sided container;

a second electrode material structure over the memory element material; and

wherein the first and second electrode material structures are composed by intersecting line structures.

8. The cross-point memory structure of claim 7 wherein the multi-sided container is a four-sided container.

9. The cross-point memory structure of claim 8 wherein the four-sided container is within a four-sided opening laterally bounded by two types of material, wherein two of the four sides of the opening are laterally bounded by one of the two types of material, and wherein another two of the four sides of the opeing are laterally bounded by another of the two types of material.

10. A cross-point memory structure, comprising:

a line of first electrode material extending along a first horizontal direction;

a multi-sided container of access device materials over the first electrode material, the access device materials including an electrically conductive metal-containing material and at least two insulative materials, the insulative materials being between the electrically conductive metal-containing material and the first electrode material;

memory element material within the multi-sided container;

wherein the memory element material includes a plug portion within the multi-sided container;

wherein the electrically conductive metal-containing material extends along downwardly-extending sidewalls of the plug portion as well as along a bottom of the plug portion; and

a line of second electrode material over the memory element material and extending along a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the first horizontal direction of the line of first electrode material.