Ring-Shaped Metal Oxide Resistive Memory Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resistive memory devices suffer from defects such as seams and voids in the metal layer during the manufacturing process, leading to weaker regions that are easily oxidized, resulting in unreliable electrical characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A resistive memory device with a ring-shaped metal and metal oxide configuration is developed, where a ring-shaped metal layer is formed at the sidewalls and bottom surface of a barrier layer, and a ring-shaped metal oxide is formed on top, eliminating defects and improving electrical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional metal fill-in procedure is used to form the metal layer, then the via can be filled, but defects such as seams and voids occur in the metal layer, particularly in the center
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the metal layer into two distinct parts: a ring-shaped metal layer formed at the sidewalls and bottom surface of the barrier layer, and a separate fill metal layer formed in the center of the via. This segmentation prevents the formation of seams and voids by eliminating the problematic conventional fill-in procedure while maintaining complete via filling through the combination of ring-shaped metal and fill metal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the problematic center portion from the conventional filled via structure. Instead of filling the entire via with metal thatprone to defects, the solution extracts only the necessary metal components (ring-shaped metal at sidewalls and bottom, and separate fill metal in center) to achieve via filling without introducing seams or voids.
2Ease of manufacture
If the metal layer contains seams and voids, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the metal layer develops weaker regions that are easily oxidized, causing resistance variation
Solution Approach 1:
The metal layer is segmented into a ring-shaped portion and a fill metal portion, each formed by different processes. The ring-shaped metal layer is formed by deposition on the barrier layer sidewalls and bottom, while the fill metal is deposited in the center. This segmentation ensures uniform metal distribution without seams or voids, achieving both manufacturing feasibility and metal layer uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the via receive different metal treatments: the ring-shaped metal layer is formed with specific deposition conditions to ensure uniform thickness at sidewalls and bottom, while the fill metal is deposited in the center region separately. This local quality approach ensures each region has the optimal metal structure for its function, preventing weak regions and oxidation issues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ring-shaped configuration enhances the reliability and electrical characteristics of the resistive memory device by preventing seam and void defects, achieving higher initial resistance and lower operation current, with controllable resistance through temperature variation.
Implementation Method 1
oxidation for growing the metal oxide as a memory layer of the resistive memory device
Data Source
AI summary
A resistive memory device is provided, comprising a bottom electrode, a patterned dielectric layer with a via formed on the bottom electrode, a barrier layer formed at sidewalls and a bottom surface of the via as a liner, a ring-shaped metal layer formed at sidewalls and a bottom surface of the barrier layer, and a ring-shaped metal oxide formed on a top surface of the ring-shaped metal layer.