Patent ID: 8803125

Claim:
A memory cell, comprising: a first conductor; a second conductor; a resistive element coupled between the first conductor and the second conductor, and comprising a first electrode, a material capable of variable resistivity, and a second electrode between the second conductor and the material capable of variable resistivity, wherein an interface between the material capable of variable resistivity and a particular one of the electrodes of the resistive element extends across a full surface of the particular one of the electrodes; and a diode coupled in series with the resistive element between the first conductor and the second conductor; wherein the diode comprises a ruthenium material and a silicon material; wherein the diode further comprises an interface on the silicon material selected from the group consisting of a ruthenium interface on the silicon material and a ruthenium silicide interface on the silicon material; wherein the diode is between the resistive element and the first conductor; wherein the material capable of variable resistivity is in contact with adjacent memory cells in a direction of the first conductor and adjacent memory cells in a direction of the second conductor; and wherein the diode is in contact with the adjacent memory cells in the direction of the first conductor, but not the adjacent memory cells in the direction of the second conductor.