Electrical and thermal contact for use in semiconductor devices and corresponding methods

Abstract

A contact for use with a memory element of a semiconductor device structure includes a conductive element and a thermal insulator component. The conductive element establishes an electrical path to the memory element, while the thermal insulator component thermally insulates the memory element. The thermal insulator component may reduce an amount of current required to change a conductivity state of the memory element, particularly when the memory element includes a so-called “phase change” element. Methods for fabricating such contacts are also disclosed.

1 . A process for fabricating a contact on a semiconductor device, comprising: 
 forming a conductive portion of a contact in communication with at least a portion of a memory element of the semiconductor device; and    forming a thermal insulator component of the contact adjacent to the conductive portion at a location that will at least partially thermally insulate at least the portion of the memory element.    
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein forming the conductive portion of the contact comprises configuration the conductive portion to minimize heat dissipation from at least the portion of the memory element of the semiconductor device.  
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein forming the conductive portion comprises forming the conductive portion to include an exposed region on the thermal insulator component.  
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein forming the conductive portion comprises at least partially forming a contact region of the conductive portion before at least partially forming the thermal insulator component and at least partially forming the exposed region after at least partially forming the thermal insulator component.  
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein forming the thermal insulator component comprises forming the thermal insulator component from a material comprising at least one of a silicon oxide, a thermoset resin, and a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein forming the conductive portion comprises forming the conductive portion in communication with a phase change element of the memory element.  
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein forming the thermal insulator component comprises forming the thermal insulator component so as to at least partially thermally insulate the phase change element.  
   
   
       8 . A method for thermally insulating a phase change component of a semiconductor device structure, comprising: 
 forming a conductive portion of a contact in communication with the phase change component;    forming a thermal insulator component of the contact adjacent to the conductive portion at a location that will at least partially thermally insulate the phase change component.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein forming the conductive portion of the contact comprises configuring the conductive portion to minimize heat dissipation from the phase change component.  
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein forming the conductive portion comprises forming the conductive portion to include an exposed region on the thermal insulator component.  
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein forming the conductive portion comprises at least partially forming a contact region of the conductive portion before at least partially forming the thermal insulator component and at least partially forming the exposed region after at least partially forming the thermal insulator component.  
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein forming the thermal insulator component comprises forming the thermal insulator component from a material comprising at least one of a silicon oxide, a thermoset resin, and a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       13 . A contact of a semiconductor device, comprising: 
 at least one conductive element in communication with at least a portion of a memory element of the semiconductor device, the at least one conductive element being configured to minimize heat dissipation from at least the portion of the memory element; and    a thermal insulator component positioned adjacent to the at least one conductive element at a location that will at least partially thermally insulate at least the portion of the memory element.    
   
   
       14 . The contact of  claim 13 , wherein the thermal insulator component is located between a contact portion of the at least one conductive element and an exposed portion of the at least one conductive element.  
   
   
       15 . The contact of  claim 14 , wherein the contact portion and the exposed portion substantially envelop the thermal insulator component.  
   
   
       16 . The contact of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the said contact portion and the exposed portion abuts a major surface of a silicon-containing dielectric layer.  
   
   
       17 . The contact of  claim 13 , wherein the thermal insulator component comprises an insulator material including at least one of undoped silicon dioxide, doped silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, a thermoset polymer, and a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       18 . The contact of  claim 13 , configured for use with a memory element comprising a phase change component, wherein a melting temperature of the thermal insulator component is greater than a temperature required to switch the phase change component between a plurality of states.  
   
   
       19 . A method for reducing the amount of current required to generate a change in a conductivity state of a phase change material of a phase change component of a memory element of a semiconductor device, comprising providing a conductive contact including a thermally insulative component at a location of the semiconductor device that will at least partially thermally insulate the phase change component.