Reducing oxidation of phase change memory electrodes

a phase change memory and electrode technology, applied in the direction of bulk negative resistance effect devices, semiconductor devices, electrical equipment, etc., can solve the problems of significant resistance increase, defective products, and add to the cost of manufacturing products

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-12-28
INTEL CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

During the fabrication of phase change memories, electrodes within a memory cell may oxidize, leading to significant resistance increases.
These increases may result in defective products.
However, such steps add to the cost of manufacturing the products and may not always be completely effective.

Method used

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  • Reducing oxidation of phase change memory electrodes
  • Reducing oxidation of phase change memory electrodes
  • Reducing oxidation of phase change memory electrodes

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0013] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, oxygen infiltration may be reduced. Oxygen infiltration causes oxidation of the lower electrode, adversely affecting the performance of phase change memories. One modality for such oxidation is for oxygen to diffuse through a chalcogenide layer overlying the lower electrode. When that oxygen diffuses through and reaches the lower electrode it causes oxidation of that oxidizable lower electrode. To prevent such infiltration, a barrier layer may be utilized in one embodiment of the present invention, which is applied under appropriate circumstances to facilitate other process steps while still protecting the lower electrode, in some embodiments.

[0014] In one embodiment, memory elements may comprise a phase change material. In this embodiment, the memory may be referred to as a phase change memory. A phase change material may be a material having electrical properties (e.g. resistance, capacitance, etc.) that may be ...

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PUM

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Abstract

A phase change memory may be formed in a way which reduces oxygen infiltration through a chalcogenide layer overlying a lower electrode. Such infiltration may cause oxidation of the lower electrode which adversely affects performance. In one such embodiment, an etch through an overlying upper electrode layer may be stopped before reaching a layer which overlies said chalcogenide layer. Then, photoresist used for such etching may be utilized in a high temperature oxygen plasma. Only after such plasma treatment has been completed is that overlying layer removed, which ultimately exposes the chalcogenide.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001] This invention relates generally to phase change memory devices. [0002] Phase change memory devices use phase change materials, i.e., materials that may be electrically switched between a generally amorphous and a generally crystalline state, for electronic memory application. One type of memory element utilizes a phase change material that may be, in one application, electrically switched between a structural state of generally amorphous and generally crystalline local order or between different detectable states of local order across the entire spectrum between completely amorphous and completely crystalline states. The state of the phase change materials is also non-volatile in that, when set in either a crystalline, semi-crystalline, amorphous, or semi-amorphous state representing a resistance value, that value is retained until changed by another programming event, as that value represents a phase or physical state of the material (e.g., crystalline or amorpho...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01L29/04
CPCH01L45/06H01L45/1233H01L27/2427H01L45/1675H01L45/141H10B63/24H10N70/801H10N70/231H10N70/063H10N70/826H10N70/882
Inventor DENNISON, CHARLES H.
Owner INTEL CORP
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