A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device including a first conductive line on a substrate, memory cell structures stacked on the first conductive line, a second conductive line between the memory cell structures; and a third conductive line on the memory cell structures may be provided. Each of the plurality of memory cell structures includes a data storage material pattern, a switching material pattern, and a plurality of electrode patterns, at least one of the electrode patterns includes at least one of carbon material layer or a carbon-containing material layer, and the at least one of the electrode patterns includes a first region doped with a nitrogen and a second region that is not doped with the nitrogen, or is doped with the nitrogen at a first concentration lower than a second concentration of the nitrogen in the first region.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes for forming Te-containing thin films, such as Sb—Te, Ge—Te, Ge—Sb—Te, Bi—Te, and Zn—Te thin films are provided. ALD processes are also provided for forming Se-containing thin films, such as Sb—Se, Ge—Se, Ge—Sb—Se, Bi—Se, and Zn—Se thin films are also provided. Te and Se precursors of the formula (Te,Se)(SiR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3).sub.2 are preferably used, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are alkyl groups. Methods are also provided for synthesizing these Te and Se precursors. Methods are also provided for using the Te and Se thin films in phase change memory devices.

An electronic synaptic device includes: a lower electrode; an upper electrode; and an active layer provided between the lower electrode and the upper electrode and including a plurality of conductive nanoparticles, wherein the conductive nanoparticles are dispersed in a matrix forming a continuous phase, and the matrix is composed of a protein. The electronic synaptic device has a low switching operation voltage, is capable of implementing a transition phenomenon from a short term potentiation state to a long term potentiation state even with a relatively low voltage, and has high stability; and, therefore, can be preferably applied as a memristive device for implementing neuromorphic computing.

Methods, systems, and devices for a three-dimensional memory array are described. Memory cells may transform when exposed to elevated temperatures, including elevated temperatures associated with a read or write operation of a neighboring cell, corrupting the data stored in them. To prevent this thermal disturb effect, memory cells may be separated from one another by thermally insulating regions that include one or several interfaces. The interfaces may be formed by layering different materials upon one another or adjusting the deposition parameters of a material during formation. The layers may be created with planar thin-film deposition techniques, for example.

A phase change memory device with memory cells (2) formed by a phase change memory element (3) and a selection switch (4). A reference cell (2a) formed by an own phase change memory element (3) and an own selection switch (4) is associated to a group (7) of memory cells to be read. An electrical quantity of the group of memory cells is compared with an analogous electrical quantity of the reference cell, thereby compensating any drift in the properties of the memory cells.

A semiconductor device includes a lower insulating structure covering a circuit element on a semiconductor substrate and an upper structure on the lower insulating structure. The upper structure includes a memory cell structure between first and second conductive lines. The first conductive lines extend in a first horizontal direction, and the second conductive lines extend in a second horizontal direction. The memory cell structure includes at least three electrode patterns, a data storage material pattern, and a selector material pattern overlapping in a vertical direction. The selector material pattern includes a threshold switching material and a metal material. The threshold switching material includes germanium (Ge), arsenic (As), and selenium (Se), and the metal material includes at least one of tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and copper (Cu). A content of the metal material is greater than 0 atomic % and less than 2 atomic %.

A variable resistance memory device includes first memory cells and second memory cells. The first memory cells are between first and second conductive lines, and at areas at which the first and second conductive lines overlap. The second memory cells are between the second and third conductive lines, and at areas at which the second and third conductive lines overlap. Each first memory cell includes a first variable resistance pattern and a first selection pattern. Each second memory cell includes a second variable resistance pattern and a second selection pattern. At least one of the second memory cells is shifted from a closest one of the first memory cells.

Memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including a phase change material having a laterally constricted portion thereof. The laterally constricted portions of adjacent memory cells are vertically offset and positioned on opposite sides of the memory device. Also disclosed are memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including first and second electrodes having different widths. Adjacent memory cells have the first and second electrodes offset on vertically opposing sides of the memory device. Methods of forming the memory devices are also disclosed.

Ion implantation or deposition can be used to modify the bulk electrical properties of topological insulators. More particularly, ion implantation or deposition can be used to compensate for the non-zero bulk conductivity due to extrinsic charge carriers. The direct implantation of deposition/annealing of dopants allows better control over carrier concentrations for the purposes of achieving low bulk conductivity. Ion implantation or deposition enables the fabrication of inhomogeneously doped structures, enabling new types of device designs.

A variable resistance memory device including a substrate, a first insulation layer disposed on the substrate, first and second conductive lines, and memory units. The first conductive lines are arranged in a first direction on the first insulation layer and extend in a second direction. The second conductive lines are disposed over the first conductive lines, are arranged in the second direction, and extend in the first direction. The memory units are disposed in each area between the first and second conductive lines in a third direction and include a first electrode, a variable resistance pattern, a selection pattern, and a second electrode. The first electrode and the variable resistance pattern include a cross-section having an “L” shape. The variable resistance pattern contacts an upper surface of the first electrode. The second electrode is disposed on the variable resistance pattern. The selection pattern is disposed on the second electrode.