Patent ID: 8043888

Claim:
A method of forming a circuit including a phase change memory cell, the method comprising: forming a heater for the phase change memory cell, wherein the forming a heater includes forming a silicon region having a first portion joined to a second portion with a narrowed portion narrower than the first portion and the second portion, etching back the silicon region to separate the first portion from the second portion and to result in the first portion coming to a first point and the second region coming to a second point, siliciding the first point to form a silicided first point and siliciding the second point to form a silicided second point separated from the silicided first point, wherein the heater includes the silicided first point and the silicided second point; forming a phase change structure electrically coupled to the heater and in contact with the silicided first point and the silicided second point, wherein the phase change structure exhibits a first resistive value when in a first phase state and exhibits a second resistive value when in a second phase state; wherein the silicide structure produces heat at the silicided first point and the silicided second point when current flows between the first point and the second point for changing a phase state of the phase change structure.