Patent ID: 6838720
Filing Date: 2005-01-04
Classification: B82Y,G11C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A reversibly programmable memory comprising at least one memory cell, the at least one memory cell comprising: a first conductive electrode layer; a passive layer formed over the first conductive electrode layer, the passive layer comprising a super-ionic material comprising copper sulfide adapted to reversibly donate and accept charged species, the charged species comprising ions or ions and electrons; an active layer formed over the passive layer, the active layer comprising an organic polymer that has a reversibly variable electrical conductivity upon the introduction and removal of charged species from the passive layer, the electrical conductivity of the organic polymer being variable between three or more states to store multiple information bits, the organic polymer having a relatively lower electrical conductivity when free of charged species and a relatively higher conductivity when charged species are introduced; and a second conductive electrode layer formed over the active layer; wherein the passive layer reversibly donates and accepts charged species to and from the active layer when an electrical potential difference is applied between the two conductive electrode layers, and the two conductive electrode layers are used to both program the memory cell to store information and read stored information from the memory cell.