Patent Abstract:
A phase change memory may be formed of two vertically spaced layers of phase change material. An intervening dielectric may space the layers from one another along a substantial portion of their lateral extent. An opening may be provided in the intervening dielectric to allow the phase change layers to approach one another more closely. As a result, current density may be increased at this location, producing heating.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/103,188, filed Apr. 11, 2005, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,653,495 on Feb. 18, 2014. This application and patent are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety, for any purpose. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to phase change memories. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Phase change memory devices use phase change materials, i.e., materials that may be electrically switched between a generally amorphous and a generally crystalline state, for electronic memory application. One type of memory element utilizes a phase change material that may be, in one application, electrically switched between a structural state of generally amorphous and generally crystalline local order or between different detectable states of local order across the entire spectrum between completely amorphous and completely crystalline states. The state of the phase change materials is also non-volatile in that, when set in either a crystalline, semi-crystalline, amorphous, or semi-amorphous state representing a resistance value, that value is retained until changed by another programming event, as that value represents a phase or physical state of the material (e.g., crystalline or amorphous). The state is unaffected by removing electrical power. 
     In phase change memories, a heater heats the phase change material to change the state of the phase change material. These heaters may consume sufficient power to be an issue in some applications, such as in those applications that rely on battery power. In addition, the heater may add to the size of the phase change memory device. 
     Thus, there is a need for better ways to heat phase change memories. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic depiction of a phase change memory in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a phase change memory in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a phase change memory in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  at an early stage of manufacture in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  at a subsequent stage of manufacture in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  at a subsequent stage of manufacture in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  at a subsequent stage of manufacture in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic depiction of a system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a memory  100  is illustrated. Memory  100  may include a 3×3 array of memory cells  111 - 119 , wherein memory cells  111 - 119  each include a select device  120  and a memory element  130 . Although a 3×3 array is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect. Memory  100  may have a larger array of memory cells. 
     In one embodiment, memory elements  130  may comprise a phase change material. In this embodiment, memory  100  may be referred to as a phase change memory. A phase change material may be a material having electrical properties (e.g. resistance, capacitance, etc.) that may be changed through the application of energy such as, for example, heat, light, voltage potential, or electrical current. 
     Examples of a phase change material may include a chalcogenide material. 
     A chalcogenide alloy may be used in a memory element or in an electronic switch. A chalcogenide material may be a material that includes at least one element from column VI of the periodic table or may be a material that includes one or more of the chalcogen elements, e.g., any of the elements of tellurium, sulfur, or selenium. 
     Memory  100  may include column lines  141 - 143  and row lines  151 - 153  to select a particular memory cell of the array during a write or read operation. 
     Column lines  141 - 143  and row lines  151 - 153  may also be referred to as address lines since these lines may be used to address memory cells  111 - 119  during programming or reading. Column lines  141 - 143  may also be referred to as bit lines and row lines  151 - 153  may also be referred to as word lines. 
     Memory elements  130  may be connected to row lines  151 - 153  and may be coupled to column lines  141   143  via select device  120 . While one select device  120  is depicted, more select devices may also be used Therefore, when a particular memory cell (e.g., memory cell  115 ) is selected, voltage potentials may be applied to the memory cell&#39;s associated column line (e.g.,  142 ) and row line (e.g.,  152 ) to apply a voltage potential across the memory cell. 
     Series connected select device  120  may be used to access memory element  130  during programming or reading of memory element  130 . The select device  120  may also be called an access device, a threshold device, an isolator device or a switch. It may be implemented as a MOS transistor, a bipolar junction transistor, a diode or an ovonic threshold switch. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a phase change memory cell  10  may be formed over a substrate  12  such as a silicon substrate. The cell  10  may correspond to the cells  111 - 119 . A lower contact  16  may be formed within an insulating layer  14  in one embodiment of the present invention. Over the insulating layer  14  may be a first patterned chalcogenide material  18  to form the select device  120  of  FIG. 1 . 
     The first patterned chalcogenide material  18  and the exposed insulating layer  14  may be covered by an insulating layer  20  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The insulating layer  20  may have an opening  28 . The layer  20  may be partially covered by a second patterned chalcogenide material  22  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The material  22  may fill the opening  28  and contact the material  18  in one embodiment. The material  22  forms the memory element  130  of  FIG. 1 . The layer  22  is, in turn, contacted by an upper contact  24  formed in still another insulating layer  26 . 
     As a result of the opening  28  through the layer  20 , a “bottleneck” is created for current flowing between the first patterned chalcogenide material  18  and the second patterned chalcogenide material  22 . In other words, the current primarily flows, not through the insulator  20 , but directly between the first patterned chalcogenide material and the second patterned chalcogenide material  22  at the bottleneck created by the opening  28  in the insulating layer  20 . 
     The higher current density through the opening  28  leads to power dissipation at the point of contact between the chalcogenide materials  18  and  22 . 
     This results in efficient heating. The heating may be utilized to change the state of either or both of the first or second chalcogenide materials  18  and  22 . 
     Materials  18  and  22  can both be chalcogenide memory alloys, in order to make an efficient memory element  130 . In this case, the select device  120  may be made in the underlying substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the cell  30  is similar to the cell  10 . However, in the case of the cell  30 , a resistive layer  32  is situated between the insulating layer and the second patterned chalcogenide material  22 . 
     The resistive layer  32  may be a dielectric or insulating layer such as silicon nitride with a thickness of between about 10 and 50 Angstroms. When the cell  30  is first programmed, the potential developed across the layer  32  can cause it to break down in one small area of the opening  28  in the insulating layer  20 . This breakdown location or filament further reduces the area of contact between the chalcogenide materials  18  and  22 , increasing the current density or power dissipation. 
     The layer  32  may also be a more resistive chalcogenide alloy, such as germanium, antimony, tellurium alloy with nitrogen incorporated into the film to increase its resistivity. In one embodiment less than 10% nitrogen is used. 
     That higher resistivity material at the area of contact between the chalcogenide materials  18  and  22  dissipates more power and heats the region more effectively. 
     The more conductive chalcogenide materials  18  and  22  carry current from the small region of programming to the electrical contacts  16  and  24 , which are located away from the programming region created at the opening  28 . Because the chalcogenide materials  18  and  22  are conductive and because the current density away from the contact region is much smaller, there may be lower power dissipation in the chalcogenide materials  18 ,  22  away from the contact region in some embodiments. Thus, this contact region away from the opening  28  need not change phase and remains relatively highly conductive. By reducing the area that changes phase, power dissipation may be reduced in some embodiments. This power consumption reduction may allow the memory cell  30  to cycle with lower current than current embodiments of phase change memories. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in this embodiment, the resistive layer  32   a  is placed on the first patterned chalcogenide material  18 . Otherwise, the structure is similar to that of  FIG. 3 . 
     Taking the embodiment of  FIG. 4  as an example,  FIGS. 5-8  show an example of a fabrication process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The layers  34  of chalcogenide material and  36  of the resistive material may be deposited over the insulating layer  14  and the contact  16  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Those layers  34 ,  36  may then be patterned to form the first patterned chalcogenide material  18  and the resistive layer  32   a . That stack of material  18  and layer  32   a  may then be covered with an insulating layer  20  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 7 , an opening  28  may be formed through the insulating layer  20  in a position spaced from the contact  16 . The chalcogenide layer  34  may be deposited so that a portion thereof extends into the opening  28 . 
     The layer  34  may be patterned to form the second pattern chalcogenide material  22 , shown in  FIG. 4 . Thereafter, the layer  26  may be deposited, an opening formed therein, and the upper contact  24  formed therein, as also shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The substrate  12  may be, for example, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate), although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect. 
     Other suitable substrates may be but are not limited to, substrates that contain ceramic material, organic material; or a glass material. 
     The insulating layer  14  may be formed using, for example, a PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) process, HDP (High Density Plasma) process, or spin-on and bake sol gel process. Insulating layer  14  can be a dielectric material that may be a thermally and/or electrically insulating material such as, for example, silicon dioxide, although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect. Insulating layer  14  may have a thickness ranging from about 100 A to about 4000 A, although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect. In one embodiment, the thickness of insulating layer  14  may range from about 500 A to about 2500 A. 
     Although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect, insulating layer  14  may be planarized using a chemical or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique. 
     The material  22  may be a phase change, program programmable material capable of being programmed into one of at least two memory states by applying a current to material  22  to alter the phase of material  22  between a substantially crystalline state and a substantially amorphous state, wherein a resistance of the material  22  in the substantially amorphous state is greater than the resistance of the material  22  in the substantially crystalline state. Programming of switching material  22  to alter the state or phase of the material may be accomplished by applying voltage potentials to contacts  16  and  24 , thereby generating a voltage potential across select device  120  and memory element  130 . When the voltage potential is greater than the threshold voltage of select device  120  and memory element  130 , then an electrical current may flow through memory material  22  in response to the applied voltage potential, and may result in heating of memory material  22  at the opening  28 . 
     This heating may alter the memory state or phase of memory material  22 . Altering the phase or state of memory material  22  may alter the electrical characteristic of memory material  22 , e.g., the resistance of the material may be altered by altering the phase of the memory material  22 . Memory material  22  may also be referred to as a programmable resistive material. 
     In the “reset” state, memory material  22  may be in an amorphous or semi-amorphous state and in the “set” state, memory material  22  may be in an a crystalline or semi-crystalline state. The resistance of memory material  20  in the amorphous or semi-amorphous state may be greater than the resistance of memory material  22  in the crystalline or semi-crystalline state. It is to be appreciated that the association of reset and set with amorphous and crystalline states, respectively, is a convention and that at least an opposite convention may be adopted. 
     Using electrical current, memory material  22  may be heated to a relatively higher temperature to amorphosize memory material  22  and “reset” memory material  22  (e.g., program memory material  22  to a logic “0” value). Heating the volume of memory material  22  to a relatively lower crystallization temperature may crystallize memory material  22  and “set” memory material  22  (e.g., program memory material  22  to a logic “1” value). Various resistances of memory material  22  may be achieved to store information by varying the amount of current flow and duration through the volume of memory material  22 . 
     Although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect, in one example, the composition of ovonic switching material  22  may comprise a Si concentration of about 14%, a Te concentration of about 39%, an As concentration of about 37%, a Ge concentration of about 9%, and an In concentration of about 1%. In another example, the composition of switching material  22  may comprise a Si concentration of about 14%, a Te concentration of about 39%, an As concentration of about 37%, a Ge concentration of about 9%, and a P concentration of about 1%, In these examples, the percentages are atomic percentages which total 100% of the atoms of the constituent elements. 
     In another embodiment, a composition for ovonic switching material  22  may include an alloy of arsenic (As), tellurium (Te), sulfur (S), germanium (Ge), selenium (Se), and antimony (Sb) with respective atomic percentages of 10%, 21%, 2%, 15%, 50%, and 2%. 
     Although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect, in other embodiments, ovonic switching material  22  may include Si, Te, As, Ge, sulfur (S), and selenium (Se). As an example, the composition of switching material  940  may comprise a Si concentration of about 5%, a Te concentration of about 34%, an As concentration of about 28%, a Ge concentration of about 11%, a S concentration of about 21%, and a Se concentration of about 1%. 
     Conductive material (not shown) may be applied to contact  24  in the form of a thin film material having a thickness ranging from about 20 A to about 2000 A. In one embodiment, the thickness of the material  28  may range from about 100 A to about 1000 A. In another embodiment, the thickness of the film material may be about 300 A. 
     Suitable materials may include a thin film of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium tungsten (TiW), carbon (C), silicon carbide (SiC), titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), polycrystalline silicon, tantalum nitride (TaN), some combination of these films, or other suitable conductors or resistive conductors compatible with switching material  24 . 
     System  500  of  FIG. 9  may include a controller  510 , an input/output (I/O) device  520  (e.g. a keypad, display), a memory  530 , and a wireless interface  540  coupled to each other via a bus  550 . It should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to embodiments having any or all of these components. 
     Controller  510  may comprise, for example, one or more microprocessors, digital signal processors, microcontrollers, or the like. Memory  530  may be used to store messages transmitted to or by system  500 . Memory  530  may also optionally be used to store instructions that are executed by controller  510  during the operation of system  500 , and may be used to store user data. Memory  530  may be provided by one or more different types of memory. For example, memory  530  may comprise any type of random access memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory and/or a memory such as memory  100  discussed herein. 
     I/O device  520  may be used by a user to generate a message. System  500  may use wireless interface  540  to transmit and receive messages to and from a wireless communication network with a radio frequency (RF) signal. Examples of wireless interface  540  may include an antenna or a wireless transceiver, although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7