Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080224120 | Phase change device with offset contact - A programmable resistance memory combines multiple cells into a block that includes one or more shared electrodes. The shared electrode configuration provides additional thermal isolation for the active region of each memory cell, thereby reducing the current required to program each memory cell. | 09-18-2008 |
20080273372 | Method of Programming Multi-Layer Chalcogenide Devices - A method of programming a multi-layer chalcogenide electronic device. The device includes an active region in electrical communication with two terminals, where the active region includes two or more layers. The method includes providing an electrical signal between the two terminals, where the electrical signal alters an electrical characteristic of a layer remote from one of the terminals. In one embodiment, the layer remote from the terminal is a chalcogenide material and the electrical characteristic is resistance. In another embodiment, an electrical characteristic of the layer in contact with the terminal is also altered. The alteration of an electrical characteristic may be caused by a transformation of a chalcogenide material from one structural state to another structural state. | 11-06-2008 |
20090057645 | Memory element with improved contacts - A phase-change memory element comprising a phase-change memory material, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. At least one of the electrical contacts having a sidewall electrically coupled to the memory material. | 03-05-2009 |
20090095951 | Memory Device With Low Reset Current - An electronic device includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The device also includes a resistive material between the first and second electrodes. An active material is between the first electrode and the resistive material. The active material is in electrical communication with the first electrode and the active material is in electrical communication with the second electrode through the resistive layer. | 04-16-2009 |
20090166601 | Non-volatile programmable variable resistance element - A phase-change memory element exhibits a non-uniform temperature profile in the phase-change material, resulting in a non-uniform temperature profile. The non-uniform temperature profile causes non-uniform growth of a programmed volume, resulting in a gradual R-I characteristic. The phase-change material may be a chalcogenide material. | 07-02-2009 |
20090298222 | Method for manufacturing Chalcogenide devices - A method of chalcogenide device formation includes treatment of the surface upon which the chalcogenide material is deposited. The treatment reduces or eliminates native oxides and other contaminants from the surface, thereby increasing the adhesion of the chalcogenide layer to the treated surface, eliminating voids between the chalcogenide layer and deposition surface and reducing the degradation of chalcogenide material due to the migration of contaminants into the chalcogenide. | 12-03-2009 |
20100027328 | Multilevel Variable Resistance Memory Cell Utilizing Crystalline Programming States - A method of programming an electrical variable resistance memory device. When applied to variable resistance memory devices that incorporate a phase-change material as the active material, the method utilizes a plurality of crystalline programming states. The crystalline programming states are distinguishable on the basis of resistance, where the resistance values of the different states are stable with time and exhibit little or no drift. As a result, the programming scheme is particularly suited to multilevel memory applications. The crystalline programming states may be achieved by stabilizing crystalline phases that adopt different crystallographic structures or by stabilizing crystalline phases that include mixtures of two or more distinct crystallographic structures that vary in the relative proportions of the different crystallographic structures. The programming scheme incorporates at least two crystalline programming states and further includes at least a third programming state that may be a crystalline, amorphous or mixed crystalline-amorphous state. | 02-04-2010 |
20100084625 | Memory Device - An electrical device includes a first electrode and a second electrode. A first active material is between the first electrode and second electrode. A second active material is between the first electrode and second electrode. A nonlinear electrode material is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The nonlinear electrode material is electrically in series with the first electrode, the first active material, the second active material, and the second electrode. The first electrode and the first active material undergo no chemical or electrochemical reaction when current passes between the first electrode and the second electrode. | 04-08-2010 |
20100182826 | Reduction of Drift in Phase-Change Memory via Thermally-Managed Programming - A method of programming a phase-change material. The method includes providing a transformation pulse to the phase-change material, where the transformation pulse includes a programming waveform and a conditioning waveform. The programming waveform provides sufficient energy to alter the structural state of the phase-change material. In one embodiment, the programming waveform alters the volume fractions of crystalline and amorphous phase regions within the phase-change material. The conditioning waveform provides sufficient energy to heat the phase-change material to a temperature above the ambient temperature but below the crystallization temperature of the phase-change material. The method programs the phase-change material to a state that exhibits a reduced time variation of resistance. | 07-22-2010 |
20100203263 | Deposition of Chalcogenide Materials via Vaporization Process - A method of depositing a chalcogenide material. The method includes vaporizing a condensed phase chalcogenide source material and forming a product chalcogenide material on a remote deposition surface by condensing the vapor. Vaporization may occur via sublimation or evaporation and the condensed phase chalcogenide source material may be a solid-phase source material or a liquid-phase source material. The deposition surface may include a patterned feature such as a hole, trench or other opening and the method provides for conformal or nearly conformal filling of the feature. The composition of the product chalcogenide material closely corresponds to the composition of the chalcogenide source material. | 08-12-2010 |
20100203709 | DEPOSITION OF CHALCOGENIDE MATERIALS VIA VAPORIZATION PROCESS - A method of depositing a chalcogenide material. The method includes forming a condensed phase chalcogenide source material on a deposition surface, capping the deposition surface, vaporizing the chalcogenide source material, and subsequently forming a product chalcogenide material on the deposition surface by condensing the vapor. Vaporization may occur via sublimation or evaporation and the condensed phase chalcogenide source material may be a solid-phase source material or a liquid-phase source material. The sublimation-condensation process achieves a spatial redistribution of chalcogenide material on the deposition surface. The deposition surface may include a patterned feature such as a hole, trench or other opening, where the spatial redistribution afforded by the method provides more conformal coverage or more uniform filling of the feature. The composition of the redistributed product chalcogenide material closely corresponds to the composition of the chalcogenide source material. | 08-12-2010 |
20100283029 | Programmable resistance memory and method of making same - A memory includes multiple layers of deposited memory material. An etch is performed on at least one layer of deposited memory material prior to the deposition of a subsequent layer of memory material. | 11-11-2010 |
20100301988 | Breakdown Layer via Lateral Diffusion - An electronic device including a breakdown layer having variable thickness. The device includes a variable resistance material positioned between two electrodes. A breakdown layer is interposed between the variable resistance material and one of the electrodes. The breakdown layer has a non-uniform thickness, which serves to bias the breakdown event toward the thinner portions of the breakdown layer. As a result, the placement, size, and number of ruptures in the breakdown layer are more consistent over a series or array of devices. The variable resistance material may be a phase-change material. The variable-thickness breakdown layer may be formed through a diffusion process by introducing a gas containing a resistivity-enhancing species to the environment of segmented variable resistance devices during fabrication. The resistivity-enhancing element penetrates the outer perimeter of the variable resistance material and diffuses toward the interior of the device. The resistivity-enhancing species increases the resistance of the interface between the variable resistance material and the electrode by interacting with the variable resistance material and/or electrode to form a resistive interfacial material. Based on the diffusional nature of the process, the concentration of the resistivity-enhancing species decreases toward the center of the device and as a result, the breakdown layer is thinner toward the center of the device. | 12-02-2010 |
20100321991 | Chalcogenide Devices Exhibiting Stable Operation from the As-Fabricated State - A chalcogenide material and chalcogenide memory device having less stringent requirements for formation, improved thermal stability and/or faster operation. The chalcogenide materials include materials comprising Ge, Sb and Te in which the Ge and/or Te content is lean relative to the commonly used Ge | 12-23-2010 |
20110084240 | Variable Resistance Materials with Superior Data Retention Characteristics - Variable resistance memory compositions and devices exhibiting superior data retention characteristics at elevated temperature. The compositions are composite materials that include a variable resistance component and an inert component. The variable resistance component may include a phase-change material and the inert component may include a dielectric material. The phase-change material may include Ge, Sb, and Te, where the atomic concentration of Sb is between 3% and 16% and/or the Sb/Ge ratio is between 0.07 and 0.68 and/or the Ge/Te ratio is between 0.6 and 1.1 and/or the concentration of dielectric component (expressed as the sum of the atomic concentrations of the constituent elements thereof) is between 5% and 50%. The compositions exhibit high ten-year data retention temperatures and long data retention times at elevated temperatures. | 04-14-2011 |
20110157970 | Phase Change Memory That Switches Between Crystalline Phases - A phase change memory may transition between two crystalline states. In one embodiment, the phase change material is a chalcogenide which transitions between face centered cubic and hexagonal states. Because these states are more stable, they are less prone to drift than the amorphous state conventionally utilized in phase change memories. | 06-30-2011 |
20110194340 | Phase Change Device with Offset Contact - A programmable resistance memory combines multiple cells into a block that includes one or more shared electrodes. The shared electrode configuration provides additional thermal isolation for the active region of each memory cell, thereby reducing the current required to program each memory cell. | 08-11-2011 |
20110227027 | Memory Device and Method of Making Same - A radial memory device includes a phase-change material, a first electrode in electrical communication with the phase-change material, the first electrode having a substantially planar first area of electrical communication with the phase-change material. The radial memory device also includes a second electrode in electrical communication with the phase-change material, the second electrode having a second area of electrical communication with the phase-change material, the second area being laterally spacedly disposed from the first area and substantially circumscribing the first area. | 09-22-2011 |
20120329237 | Memory Device - A phase-change memory device includes a first insulator having a hole therethrough, a first electrode that conforms at least partially to the hole, a phase-change material in electrical communication with the first electrode, and a second electrode in electrical communication with the phase-change material. When current is passed from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase-change material, at least one of the first and second electrodes remains unreactive with the phase change material. | 12-27-2012 |