Patent ID: 7919766

Claim:
A memory cell assembly comprising: first and second bottom contacts, each bottom contact comprising first and second ends; a top contact comprising first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; first and second memory assemblies each comprising a pillar-like memory element having a cross-sectional area and first and second dimensions measured in first and second transverse directions; the first and second memory elements positioned between and electrically connected to the first ends of the first and second bottom contacts, respectively, and to the second surface of the top contacts contact; the top contact having a first end region, overlying the first memory assembly, and a connecting region; an electrically conductive via having first and second ends, the second end of the via overlying and connected to the first surface of the top contact at the connecting region; the connecting region having a connecting region surface area and the second end of the via having a via surface area, the connecting region surface area being larger than the via surface area; the top contact extending in a first direction between the first and connecting regions; the top contact extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the size of the connecting region measured in the second direction being substantially greater than the size of the first end region measured in the second direction; and the first and second dimensions being smaller than a minimum feature size for a process used to form the memory element.