A storage device 10 includes a phase change layer 40 containing tellurium, and a diffusion layer 50 containing at least one of germanium, silicon, carbon, tin, aluminum, gallium, and indium and disposed at a position adjacent to the phase change layer 40. The phase change layer 40 is capable of changing between a first state and a second state different from each other in electric resistance. The phase change layer 40 is in a crystal state in any of the first state and the second state. A length of the diffusion layer 50 in a direction orthogonal to a z direction is shorter than a length of the phase change layer 40 in the direction orthogonal to the z direction.

A phase change memory (PCM) cell comprising a substrate a first electrode located on the substrate. A phase change material layer located adjacent to the first electrode, wherein a first side of the phase change material layer is in direct contact with the first electrode. A second electrode located adjacent to phase change material layer, wherein the second electrode is in direct contact with a second side of the phase change material layer, wherein the first side and the second side are different sides of the phase change material layer. An airgap is located directly above the phase change material layer, wherein the airgap provides space for the phase change material to expand or restrict.

An approach to provide a semiconductor structure for a resistive switch device. The resistive switch device includes a bottom electrode, a dielectric material over the bottom electrode, and a metal oxide material on a portion of the dielectric material connecting to a portion of a top electrode where the metal oxide material has a controlled volume. Additionally, the approach includes a plurality of the resistive switch devices in a crossbar. The crossbar array includes the plurality of resistive switch devices on more than one bottom electrode and at least one top electrode connecting to the plurality of resistive switch devices.

Embodiments of the present invention include a memory cell that has a vertically-oriented fin. The memory cell may also include a resistive memory device located on a first lateral side of the fin. The resistive memory device may include a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a resistive element between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The memory cell may also include a vertical field-effect transistor having a metal gate and a gate dielectric contacting a second lateral side of the fin opposite the first lateral side.

A memory cell includes: a resistive material layer comprising a first portion that extends along a first direction and a second portion that extends along a second direction, wherein the first and second directions are different from each other; a first electrode coupled to a bottom surface of the first portion of the resistive material layer; and a second electrode coupled to the second portion of the resistive material layer.

A new liner structure for improving memory cell design is disclosed that incorporates a boron nitride dielectric layer. An example memory device includes an array of memory cells with each of at least some of the memory cells having a stack of layers, the stack comprising at least one phase change layer. A dielectric layer is provisioned over one or more sidewalls of at least the phase change layer. The dielectric layer comprises both nitrogen and boron. The dielectric layer may be part of a liner structure that includes multiple layers, such as an alternating layer stack of boron nitride and silicon nitride. The dielectric layer can be deposited at low temperature (e.g., less than about 300° C.) while maintaining a low hydrogen content and a relatively high thermal conductivity.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a memory device. The memory device includes a bottom electrode disposed over a lower interconnect within a lower inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer over a substrate. A data storage structure is over the bottom electrode. A first top electrode layer is disposed over the data storage structure, and a second top electrode layer is on the first top electrode layer. The second top electrode layer is less susceptible to oxidation than the first top electrode layer. A top electrode via is over and electrically coupled to the second top electrode layer.

Embodiments of process flows and methods are provided for forming a resistive switching random access memory (ReRAM). More specifically, process flows and methods are provided for reducing the forming voltage needed to form a conductive path in the ReRAM cells. A wide variety of plasma doping processes are used to introduce a plurality of different dopants into a metal-oxide dielectric film. By utilizing at least two different dopants, the plasma doping processes described herein reduce the forming voltage of the subsequently formed ReRAM cell compared to conventional processes that use only one dopant. In some embodiments, the forming voltage may be further reduced by applying a bias power during the plasma doping process, wherein the bias power is preselected to increase the number of ions introduced into the metal-oxide dielectric film during the plasma doping process.

Embedded non-volatile memory structures having selector elements with ballast are described. In an example, a memory device includes a word line. A selector element is above the word line. The selector element includes a selector material layer and a ballast material layer different than the selector material layer. A bipolar memory element is above the word line. A conductive electrode is between the elector element and the bipolar memory element. A bit line is above the word line.

Disclosed is a method of fabricating a resistive switching memory. A method of fabricating a resistive switching memory according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of forming a lower electrode on a substrate; a step of forming a resistive switching layer on the lower electrode using sputtering; and a step of forming an upper electrode on the resistive switching layer, wherein, in the step of forming a resistive switching layer on the lower electrode using sputtering, the substrate is disposed in a region, which is not reached by plasma generated by the first and second targets, between the first target and the second target disposed above the substrate to deposit the resistive switching layer.