Patent ID: 9252189
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory element, comprising: a variable resistance element including a first electrode, a variable resistance layer, and a second electrode, the variable resistance element having a resistance value which changes according to a polarity of an electric pulse applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a current steering element which is electrically connected to the variable resistance element, allows a current to flow bidirectionally, and has a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic, wherein the current steering element (i) has a structure in which a first current steering element electrode having a flat surface, a first current steering layer having a flat surface, and a second current steering element electrode having a flat surface are stacked in an order, from closest to farthest from the variable resistance element, of the first current steering element electrode, the first current steering layer and a second current steering element electrode, and (ii) includes a second current steering layer which is provided on an outer side surface of the first current steering layer, on at least a portion of an outer side surface of the first current steering element electrode, and on at least a portion of an outer side surface of the second current steering element electrode, wherein each of the first current steering layer and the second current steering layer comprises nitrogen-deficient silicon nitride, and when the nitrogen-deficient silicon nitride included in the first current steering layer is denoted as SiN is satisfied.