The present disclosure relates to a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device. In some embodiments, the RRAM device includes a first electrode disposed over a substrate and a second electrode over the first electrode. A doped data storage structure is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The doped data storage structure has a dopant with a doping concentration profile that is asymmetric over a height of the doped data storage structure and that has a maximum dopant concentration at non-zero distances from a top surface and a bottom surface of the doped data storage structure.

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device includes a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell, which includes a top electrode and a bottom electrode that are separated by a RRAM dielectric layer. The top electrode of the RRAM cell has a recess in its upper surface. A via is disposed over the RRAM cell and contacts the top electrode within the recess.

A variable resistance memory device includes a variable resistance layer and a first conductive element and a second conductive element which are spaced apart from each other on the variable resistance layer. The variable resistance layer may include a first layer and a second layer on the first layer. The first layer includes a ternary or more metal oxide containing two or more metal materials having different valences. The second layer may include silicon oxide. The variable resistance memory device may have a wide range of resistance variation due to the metal oxide in which oxygen vacancies are easily formed. The first conductive element and the second conductive element, in response to an applied voltage, may be configured to form a current path in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first layer and the second direction are stacked.

The present disclosure generally relates to memory devices and methods of forming the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to resistive random-access (ReRAM) memory devices. The present disclosure provides a memory device including a first electrode, a dielectric cap above the first electrode, a second electrode laterally adjacent to the first electrode, in which an upper surface of the second electrode is substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the dielectric cap, and a resistive layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. An edge of the first electrode is electrically coupled to an edge of the second electrode by at least the resistive layer.

Provided in one example is an article. The article including: a first electrode; a switching layer disposed over at least a portion of the first electrode, the switching layer including a metal oxide; and a second electrode disposed over at least a portion of the switching layer. The first electrode, the switching layer, and the second electrode are parts of a resistive random-access memory, and one or both of the first electrode and the second electrode is a part of a layer of a printed circuit board.

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.

Electrical contacts may be formed by forming dielectric liners along sidewalls of a dielectric structure, forming sacrificial liners over and transverse to the dielectric liners along sidewalls of a sacrificial structure, selectively removing portions of the dielectric liners at intersections of the dielectric liners and sacrificial liners to form pores, and at least partially filling the pores with a conductive material. Nano-scale pores may be formed by similar methods. Bottom electrodes may be formed and electrical contacts may be structurally and electrically coupled to the bottom electrodes to form memory devices. Nano-scale electrical contacts may have a rectangular cross-section of a first width and a second width, each width less than about 20 nm. Memory devices may include bottom electrodes, electrical contacts having a cross-sectional area less than about 150 nm.sup.2 over and electrically coupled to the bottom electrodes, and a cell material over the electrical contacts.

A method for forming a thin film comprising a metal, metal compound, or metal oxide on a substrate, which method comprises forming one or more thin film layers of a metal or metal oxide by a deposition process employing reactant precursors and/or relative amounts thereof which are selected to deposit a thin film layer with a controlled amount of dopant derived from at least one reactant precursor.

Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to fabrication of correlated electron materials used, for example, to perform a switching function. In embodiments, precursors, in a gaseous form, may be utilized in a chamber to build a film of correlated electron materials comprising various impedance characteristics.

A switching element includes a lower barrier electrode on a substrate, a switching pattern on the lower barrier electrode, and an upper barrier electrode on the switching pattern. The lower barrier electrode includes a first lower barrier electrode layer, and a second lower barrier electrode layer interposed between the first lower barrier electrode layer and the switching pattern and whose density is different from the density of the first lower barrier electrode.