Patent ID: 7772029

Claim:
A method, comprising: (A) receiving, by a memory element comprising an ion path layer and an ion source layer in contact with said ion path layer, an application of a first voltage, said ion path layer being positioned between a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein an element selected from Cu, Ag, and Zn is contained in said ion path layer or in a layer in contact with said ion path layer and an element selected from Te, S and Se is contained in said ion source layer; (B) upon application of the first voltage, said memory element providing a changed resistance to perform recording of information by said memory element, said changed resistance causing a recorded state of said memory element defined by a low resistance value, an erased state of said memory element being defined by a high resistance value; and (C) receiving, by said memory element, an application of a second voltage, the application of the second voltage causing a change in said memory element from said recorded state to said erased state, a resistance value of said memory element after the change being within ten times a resistance value of said memory element prior to said change.