Patent ID: 7598512

Claim:
A memory device, comprising: a first electrode having a top side, a second electrode having a top side; an insulating member between the first electrode and the second electrode, the insulating member having a thickness between the first and second electrodes near the top side of the first electrode and the top side of the second electrode; and a bridge across the insulating member, the bridge having a first side and a second side and contacting the top sides of first and second electrodes on the first side, and defining an inter-electrode path between the first and second electrodes across the insulating member, the inter-electrode path having a path length defined by the width of the insulating member, wherein the bridge comprises an active layer of memory material on the first side having at least two solid phases and a blanket of thermally insulating material overlying the memory material; and a layer of electrically insulating material over the blanket of thermally insulating material, wherein the thermally insulating material of the blanket has a thermal conductivity less than that of the electrically insulating material.