A resistive memory device is provided. The resistive memory device comprises a first electrode and a resistive layer over the first electrode, the resistive layer having a sidewall. A second electrode is over the resistive layer. An insulating liner is formed on the sidewall of the resistive layer. The insulating liner comprises two layers of different dielectric materials.

Thermal field controlled electrical conductivity change devices and applications therefore are provided. In some embodiments, a thermal switch, comprises: a metal-insulator-transition (MIT) material; first and second terminals electrically coupled to the MIT material; and a heater disposed near the MIT material.

Circuits and methods that provide wider bandwidth and smaller IM inductances for phase change material (PCM) based RF switch networks. The present invention recognizes that it is beneficial to consider the total high parasitic capacitance to ground of the various PCM switches in an RF switch network as constituting two or more separate capacitive contributions. This leads to several “split capacitance” concepts, including signal-path splitting, switch-block splitting, stacked-switch splitting, and splitting parasitic capacitances due to layout discontinuities, in which compensating impedance matching inductances are inserted between additive capacitances.

A superlattice phase-change thin film with a low density change, a phase-change memory and a preparation method. The superlattice phase-change thin film includes first phase-change layers (7) and second phase-change layers (8) that are alternately stacked to form a periodic structure; during crystallization, the first phase-change layer (7) has a conventional positive density change, and the second phase-change layer (8) has an abnormal negative density change, therefore, the abnormal density reduction and volume increase of the second phase-change layer (8) during crystallization can be used to offset the volume reduction of the first phase-change layer (7) during crystallization.

A method for forming a nonvolatile PCM logic device may include providing a PCM film component having a first end contact distally opposed from a second end contact, positing a first proximity adjacent to a first surface of the PCM film component, positing a second proximity heater adjacent to a second surface of the PCM film component, wherein the first proximity heater and the second proximity heater are electrically isolated from the PCM film component. The method may further include applying a combination of pulses to one or more of the first proximity heater and the second proximity heater to change a resistance value of the PCM film component corresponding to a logic truth table. Further, the method may include simultaneously applying a first combination of reset pulses to program, or set pulses to initialize, the PCM film component, to the first proximity heater and the second proximity heater.

A phase change memory, a system, and a method to prevent high resistance drift within a phase change memory through a phase change memory cell with three terminals and self-aligned metal contacts. The phase change memory may include a bottom electrode. The phase change memory may also include a heater proximately connected to the bottom electrode. The phase change memory may also include a phase change material proximately connected to the heater. The phase change memory may also include metal proximately connected to at least two sides of the phase change material. The phase change memory may also include three terminals, where a bottom terminal is located at an area proximately connected to the heater and two top terminals are located at areas proximately connected to the metal.

A phase change memory (PCM) structure including a bottom electrode, a first dielectric spacer disposed above and in contact with the bottom electrode, the first dielectric spacer comprising a vertical seam, a PCM layer disposed above the first dielectric spacer, and a heater element disposed in the seam and in contact with the bottom electrode.

A phase change memory and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The phase change memory includes a lower electrode, an annular heater disposed over the lower electrode, an annular phase change layer disposed over the annular heater, and an upper electrode. The annular phase change layer and the annular heater are misaligned in a normal direction of the lower electrode. The upper electrode is disposed over the annular phase change layer, in which the upper electrode is in contact with an upper surface of the annular phase change layer. The present disclosure simplifies the manufacturing process of the phase change memory, reduces the manufacturing cost, and improves the manufacturing yield. In addition, a contact surface between the heater and the phase change layer of the phase change memory of the present disclosure is very small, so that the phase change memory has an extremely low reset current.

A method includes providing a substrate having a main surface, forming a layer of thermally insulating material on the main surface, forming strips of phase change material on the layer of thermally insulating material such that strips of phase change material are separated from the main surface by thermally insulating material, forming first and second RF terminals on the main surface that are laterally spaced apart from one another and connected to the strips of phase change material, and forming a heater structure having 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, wherein each of the strips of phase change material includes multiple outer faces, and wherein portions of both outer faces from the strips of phase change material are disposed against one of the heating elements.

A phase-change memory device includes a bottom electrode; a stack of alternating electrical conductor layers directly contacting a top surface of the bottom electrode; a metal pillar directly contacting a top surface of the stack; a phase change material element directly contacting a top surface of the metal pillar; and a top electrode on the phase change material element, wherein a lateral dimension of the metal pillar is smaller than that of the stack.