Patent ID: 8232542
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: G11C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A phase-change memory cell, comprising: between two electrical contacts, a portion in a memory material with an amorphous-crystalline phase-change and vice versa, as a stack with an active central area located between two passive outmost areas; and an interface between the active central area and each passive outmost area, each passive outmost area being made in a material having a melting temperature higher than that of the material of the active central area, the material of the passive outmost areas having very low solubility or zero solubility in the material of the active central area, the material of the passive outmost areas being a chalcogenide having the same chemical nature with a different composition of those of the material of the active area, the interface being inert or quasi-inert from a physico-chemical point of view even during a writing operation of the phase-change memory cell, wherein the material of the active central area includes between about 16% and 30% of tellurium and between about 70% and 84% of antimony, the material of each passive outmost area being antimony or antimony mixed with tellurium with a percentage ranging up to about 2%, these percentages being atomic percentages.