Patent ID: 7985963

Claim:
A programmed two-terminal memory cell, comprising: a two-terminal memory element configured to store non-volatile data as a programmed conductivity and including electrically in series with one another an ion reservoir including a plurality of first mobile ions having a first electric charge and a first ion mobility, a complementary ion reservoir including a plurality of second mobile ions having a second electric charge and a second ion mobility, the second electric charge is opposite in polarity to the first electric charge and the plurality of second mobile ions are a different ion type than the plurality of first mobile ions, a tunnel barrier layer in contact with the ion reservoir and the complementary ion reservoir and having a first thickness, and a low conductivity region comprised of accumulated mobile ions and having a second thickness that is substantially less than the first thickness, the first thickness and second thickness cumulatively form a variable tunnel barrier thickness that is approximately 50 Å or less, the low conductivity region is positioned either in the ion reservoir adjacent to an interface between the ion reservoir and the tunnel barrier layer or in the complementary ion reservoir adjacent to an interface between the complementary ion reservoir and the tunnel barrier layer, and wherein the memory element stores the non-volatile data as the programmed conductivity when the variable tunnel barrier thickness comprises the first thickness and second thickness.