A semiconductor memory device disposed over a substrate includes a common electrode, a selector material layer surrounding the common electrode, and a plurality of phase change material layers in contact with the selector material layer.

A variable resistance memory device includes a stacking pattern disposed on a substrate, a vertical structure extends in a first direction, which is perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, and penetrates the stacking pattern, and a horizontal conductive line disposed adjacent to the stacking pattern and extending in a second direction that is parallel to the top surface of the substrate. The vertical structure includes a vertical conductive line penetrating the stacking pattern, a variable resistance element enclosing the vertical conductive line, and a selection element interposed between the vertical conductive line and the variable resistance element. Each of the vertical conductive line, the variable resistance element, and the selection element extends in the first direction. The stacking pattern is electrically connected to the horizontal conductive line and extends along the horizontal conductive line and in the second direction.

A semiconductor device includes a stacked structure with insulating layers and conductive layers that are alternately stacked on each other, a hard mask pattern on the stacked structure, a channel structure penetrating the hard mask pattern and the stacked structure, insulating patterns interposed between the insulating layers and the channel structure, wherein the insulating patterns protrude farther towards the channel structure than a sidewall of the hard mask pattern, and a memory layer interposed between the stacked structure and the channel structure, wherein the memory layer fills a space between the insulating patterns.

A switching device includes first and second RF terminals disposed over a substrate, one or more strips of phase change material connected between the first and second RF terminals, a region of thermally insulating material that separates the one or more strips of phase change material from the substrate, and a heater structure comprising one or more heating elements that are configured to control a conductive connection between the first and second RF terminals by applying heat to the one or more strips of phase change material. Each of the one or more strips of phase change material includes a first outer face and a second outer face opposite from the first outer face. For each of the one or more strips of phase change material, at least portions of both of the first and second outer faces are disposed against one of the heating elements.

Methods and apparatuses for a cross-point memory array and related fabrication techniques are described. The fabrication techniques described herein may facilitate concurrently building two or more decks of memory cells disposed in a cross-point architecture. Each deck of memory cells may include a plurality of first access lines (e.g., word lines), a plurality of second access lines (e.g., bit lines), and a memory component at each topological intersection of a first access line and a second access line. The fabrication technique may use a pattern of vias formed at a top layer of a composite stack, which may facilitate building a 3D memory array within the composite stack while using a reduced number of processing steps. The fabrication techniques may also be suitable for forming a socket region where the 3D memory array may be coupled with other components of a memory device.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and a contact plug in the dielectric layer. An upper portion of the contact plug protrudes from a top surface of the dielectric layer. The upper portion of the contact plug acts as a first electrode. A buffer layer is disposed on the dielectric layer and beside the upper portion of the contact plug. A resistive-switching layer is disposed beside the buffer layer. A second electrode is disposed beside the resistive-switching layer.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell comprising a barrier layer to constrain the movement of metal cations during operation of the RRAM cell. In some embodiments, the RRAM cell further comprises a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a switching layer, and an active metal layer. The switching layer, the barrier layer, and the active metal layer are stacked between the bottom and top electrodes, and the barrier layer is between the switching and active metal layers. The barrier layer is conductive and between has a lattice constant less than that of the active metal layer.

A conductive bridge random access memory and its manufacturing method are provided. The conductive bridge random access memory includes a bottom electrode, an inter-metal dielectric, a resistance switching assembly, and a top electrode. The bottom electrode is disposed on a substrate, and the inter-metal dielectric is disposed above the bottom electrode. The resistance switching assembly is disposed on the bottom electrode and positioned in the inter-metal dielectric. The resistance switching assembly has a reverse T-shape cross-section. The top electrode is disposed on the resistance switching assembly and the inter-metal dielectric.

In a semiconductor device, a device structure is positioned over a substrate, where the device structure includes devices. A wiring structure of the semiconductor device is positioned over the substrate and coupled to at least one of the devices. The wiring structure includes at least one of programmable lines and programmable vertical interconnects, where the programmable lines extend along a top surface of the substrate and the programmable vertical interconnects extend along a vertical direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate. The programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects include a programmable material having a modifiable resistivity in that the programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects change between being conductive and being non-conductive in responsive to a current pattern delivered to the programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects.

A three-dimensional memory device includes a stacking structure, memory pillars, and conductive pillars. The stacking structure includes stacking layers stacked along a vertical direction, each stacking layer including a gate layer, a gate dielectric layer, and a channel layer. The gate layer, the gate dielectric layer, and the channel layer extend along a horizontal direction, and the gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate layer and the channel layer. The memory pillars extend along the vertical direction and are laterally separated and in contact with the channel layer of each stacking layer. Each memory pillar comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a switching layer between the first and second electrodes. The conductive pillars extend along the vertical direction and are laterally separated and in contact with the channel layer of each stacking layer. The memory pillars and the conductive pillars are alternately arranged along the horizontal direction.