A resistive memory device includes a first word line extending in a first horizontal direction, a second word line extending on the first word line in the first horizontal direction, a third word line extending on the second word line in the first horizontal direction, a first bit line extending between the first and second word lines in a second horizontal direction, a second bit line extending between the second and third word lines in the second horizontal direction, and memory cells respectively arranged between the first word line and the first bit line, between the first bit line and the second word line, between the second word line and the second bit line, and between the second bit line and the third word line. A thickness of the second word line is greater than a thickness of each of the first word line and the third word line.

Provided is a negative differential resistance element having a 3-dimension vertical structure. The negative differential resistance element having a 3-dimension vertical structure includes: a substrate; a first electrode that is formed on the substrate to receive a current; a second semiconductor material that is formed in some region of the substrate; a first semiconductor material that is deposited in some other region and the first electrode of the substrate and some region of an upper end of the second semiconductor material; an insulator that has a part vertically erected from the substrate, the other part vertically erected from the second semiconductor material, and an upper portion stacked with a first semiconductor material; and a second electrode that is formed at an upper end of the second semiconductor material to output a current, thereby significantly reducing an area of the device and greatly improving device scaling and integration.

A memory cell and method including a first electrode formed through a first opening in a first dielectric layer, a resistive layer formed on the first electrode, a spacing layer formed on the resistive layer, a second electrode formed on the resistive layer, and a second dielectric layer formed on the second electrode, the second dielectric layer including a second opening. The first dielectric layer formed on a substrate including a first metal layer. The first electrode and the resistive layer collectively include a first lip region that extends a first distance beyond the first opening. The second electrode and the second dielectric layer collectively include a second lip region that extends a second distance beyond the first opening. The spacing layer extends from the second distance to the first distance. The second electrode is coupled to a second metal layer using a via that extends through the second opening.

Methods, systems, and devices for a tapered cell profile and fabrication are described. A memory storage component may contain multiple chalcogenide materials and may include a tapered profile. For example, a first chalcogenide material may be coupled with a second chalcogenide material. Each of the chalcogenide materials may be further coupled with a conductive material (e.g., an electrode). Through an etching process, the chalcogenide materials may tapered (e.g., step tapered). A pulse may be applied to the tapered chalcogenide materials resulting in a memory storage component that includes a mixture of the chalcogenide materials.

A device and a method of forming same are provided. The device includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer over the substrate, a bottom electrode extending through the first dielectric layer, a phase-change layer over the bottom electrode, and a top electrode over the phase-change layer. The phase-change layer includes a first portion extending into the bottom electrode and a second portion over the first portion and the first dielectric layer. A width of the first portion decreases as the first portion extends toward the substrate. The second portion has a first width. The top electrode has the first width.

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to semiconductor devices having memory cells for multi-bit programming and methods of forming the same. The present disclosure also relates to a method of forming such semiconductor devices. The disclosed semiconductor devices may achieve a smaller cell size as compared to conventional devices, and therefore increases the packing density of the disclosed devices.

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to semiconductor devices having memory cells for multi-bit programming and methods of forming the same. The present disclosure also relates to a method of forming such semiconductor devices. The disclosed semiconductor devices may achieve a smaller cell size as compared to conventional devices, and therefore increases the packing density of the disclosed devices.

Methods and devices are contemplated incorporating both high resistance conductive materials (HRCM) and conductors. A HRCM is deposited on a conductor, such that the surface between the HRCM and the conductor is relatively smooth. A dielectric material is then deposited onto an exposed surface of the HRCM. The surface of the HRCM meeting the dielectric material is roughed or otherwise impressed such that it has a Ra of at least 5 μm. The ratio of resistivity between the HRCM and the conductor is at least 50:1 or 100:1, and the ratio of conductivity between the conductive material and the resistive material is at least 9:1, 19:1, or 99:1.

A semiconductor device includes: a first electrode including a carbon layer; a second electrode; a variable resistance layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a barrier layer interposed between the first electrode and the variable resistance layer, the barrier layer including nitrogen and carbon. A concentration of the nitrogen in the barrier layer is equal to or higher than that of the carbon in the barrier layer.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a first resistive random access memory (RRAM) element over a substrate. The first RRAM element has a first terminal and a second terminal. A second RRAM element is arranged over the substrate and has a third terminal and a fourth terminal. The third terminal is electrically coupled to the first terminal of the first RRAM element. A reading circuit is coupled to the second terminal and the fourth terminal. The reading circuit is configured to read a single data state from both a first non-zero read current received from the first RRAM element and a second non-zero read current received from the second RRAM element.