A memory device may include a substrate having conductivity regions and a channel region. A first voltage line may be arranged over the channel region. A second voltage line, and third and fourth voltage lines may be electrically coupled to a first conductivity region and a second conductivity region respectively. Resistive units may be arranged between the third and fourth voltage lines and the second conductivity region. In use, changes in voltages applied between the second and third voltage lines, and between the second and fourth voltage lines may cause resistances of first and second resistive units to switch between lower and higher resistance values. The lower resistance value of the first resistive unit may be different from the lower resistance value of the second resistive unit and/or the higher resistance value of the first resistive unit may be different from the higher resistance value of the second resistive unit.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to forming a sub-stoichiometric metal-oxide film using a modified atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a first precursor and a second precursor are selected. The first precursor can include a metal and a first ligand. The second precursor can include the same metal and a second ligand. A substrate can be exposed to the first precursor during a first pulse of an ALD cycle. The substrate can be exposed to the second precursor during a second pulse of the ALD cycle. The second pulse can occur directly after the first pulse without an intervening thermal oxidant. The substrate can be exposed to the thermal oxidant during a third pulse of the ALD cycle.

Resistive memory cells, precursors thereof, and methods of making resistive memory cells are described. In some embodiments, the resistive memory cells are formed from a resistive memory precursor that includes a switching layer precursor containing a plurality of oxygen vacancies that are present in a controlled distribution therein, optionally without the use of an oxygen exchange layer. In these or other embodiments, the resistive memory precursors described may include a second electrode formed on a switching layer precursor, wherein the second electrode is includes a second electrode material that is conductive but which does not substantially react with oxygen. Devices including resistive memory cells are also described.

The present disclosure provides a self-rectifying resistive memory, including: a lower electrode; a resistive material layer formed on the lower electrode and used as a storage medium; a barrier layer formed on the resistive material layer and using a semiconductor material or an insulating material; and an upper electrode formed on the barrier layer to achieve Schottky contact with the material of the barrier layer; wherein, the Schottky contact between the upper electrode and the material of the barrier layer is used to realize self-rectification of the self-rectifying resistive memory. Thus, no additional gate transistor or diode is required as the gate unit. In addition, because the device has self-rectifying characteristics, it is capable of suppressing read crosstalk in the cross-array.

A re-writeable non-volatile memory device including a re-writeable non-volatile two-terminal memory element (ME) having tantalum. The ME including a first terminal, a second terminal, a first layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO), and a second layer in direct contact with the first layer. The second layer and the first layer being operative to store at least one-bit of data as a plurality of resistive states, and the first and second layer are electrically in series with each other and with the first and second terminals.

The present invention relates to a structure of a memory device. The structure of a memory device includes a substrate, including a bottom electrode layer formed therein. A buffer layer is disposed on the substrate, in contact with the bottom electrode layer. A resistive layer surrounds a whole sidewall of the buffer layer, and extends upward vertically from the substrate. A mask layer is disposed on the buffer layer and the resistive layer. A noble metal layer is over the substrate, and fully covers the resistive layer and the mask layer. A top electrode layer is disposed on the noble metal layer.

An example method includes: forming a bottom electrode on a substrate and forming a patterned mask layer on the bottom electrode; thermal oxidizing the bottom electrode layer via the patterned mask layer by applying a thermal process and a first plasma; removing a gaseous status of the bottom electrode oxide using a first vacuum purge; removing a solid status of the bottom electrode oxide by applying a second plasma; removing the gaseous status and the solid status of the bottom electrode oxide using a second vacuum purge to form a patterned bottom electrode; removing the patterned mask layer; forming a filament forming layer on the patterned bottom electrode; and a top electrode on the filament forming layer. The filament forming layer is configured to form a filament within the filament forming layer responsive to a switching voltage being applied to the filament forming layer.

A re-writeable non-volatile memory device including a re-writeable non-volatile two-terminal memory element (ME) having tantalum. The ME including a first terminal, a second terminal, a first layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO), and a second layer in direct contact with the first layer. The second layer and the first layer being operative to store at least one-bit of data as a plurality of resistive states, and the first and second layer are electrically in series with each other and with the first and second terminals.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a memory device. The memory device includes a dielectric protection layer having sidewalls defining an opening over a conductive interconnect within an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer. A bottom electrode structure extends from within the opening to directly over the dielectric protection layer. A variable resistance layer is over the bottom electrode structure and a top electrode is over the variable resistance layer. A top electrode via is disposed on the top electrode and directly over the dielectric protection layer.

Memory devices based on tungsten oxide memory elements are described, along with methods for manufacturing such devices. A memory device includes a plug extending upwardly from a top surface of a substrate through a dielectric layer; a bottom electrode having tungsten on an outside surface, the bottom electrode extending upwardly from a top surface of the plug; an insulating material in contact with the tungsten on the outside surface of, and surrounding, the bottom electrode; a memory element on an upper surface of the bottom electrode, the memory element comprising a tungsten oxide compound and programmable to at least two resistance states; and a top electrode overlying and contacting the memory element. The plug has a first lateral dimension, and the bottom electrode has a lateral dimension parallel with the first lateral dimension of the plug that is less than the first lateral dimension.