Patent ID: 8222713

Claim:
A storage element comprising: a silicon oxide film having a through-hole provided therein; a plug layer of tungsten occupying a part of the through-hole; a first electrode formed on top of the plug layer such that the first electrode and the plug layer fill the entirety of the through-hole; a storage layer positioned outside the through-hole and disposed between the first electrode and a second electrode, the storage layer formed on the first electrode and on at least a portion of the silicon oxide film; and an ion source layer provided between said storage layer and the first electrode and containing an element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, and Zn, wherein the material of the second electrode that contacts the storage layer, of said two electrodes, is an amorphous tungsten alloy containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Nb and Mo, wherein a low resistance state is recordable in the storage element by applying a first voltage or a first current pulse between the first electrode and the second electrode to form a conduction path containing at least one of elements selected from Cu, Ag, Zn in the storage layer, and wherein a high resistance state is recordable in the storage element by applying a second voltage or a second current pulse opposite in polarity to the first voltage or the first current pulse between the first electrode and the second electrode to eliminate the conduction path formed in the storage layer.