Electric device with nanowires comprising a phase change material

Abstract

The method according to the invention is directed to manufacturing an electric device ( 100 ) according to the invention, having a body ( 102 ) with a resistor comprising a phase change material being changeable between a first phase and a second phase, the resistor having a first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the first phase, and a second electrical resistance different from the first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the second phase. The resistor is a nanowire (NW) electrically connecting a first conductor ( 172, 120 ) and a second conductor ( 108, 121 ). The method comprises the step of providing a body ( 102 ) having the first conductor ( 172, 120 ), providing the first conductor ( 172, 120 ) with the nanowire (NW) thereby electrically connecting the nanowire (NW) and the first conductor ( 172, 120 ), and providing the nanowire (NW) with the second conductor ( 108, 121 ) thereby electrically connecting the nanowire (NW) and the second conductor ( 108, 121 ).

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . An electric device ( 100 ) having a body ( 102 ) with a resistor comprising a phase change material being changeable between a first phase and a second phase, the resistor having a first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the first phase, and a second electrical resistance different from the first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the second phase, the resistor being a nanowire (NW) electrically connecting a first conductor ( 172 ,  120 ) and a second conductor ( 108 ,  121 ). 
   
   
       10 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the nanowire (NW) comprises a segment (NWS), which comprises the phase change material and has a wire diameter (DS), and a further segment (NWF) with a further wire diameter (DF) which is larger than the wire diameter (DS) of the segment. 
   
   
       11 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the nanowire (NW) comprises an additional segment (NWA) with an additional wire diameter (DA) which is larger than the wire diameter (DS) of the segment (NWS), the segment (NWS) being located between the further segment (NWF) and the additional segment (NWA). 
   
   
       12 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the segment (NWS) and the further segment (NWF) have different chemical compositions. 
   
   
       13 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the segment (NWS), the additional segment (NWA), and preferably the further segment (NWF) are of different chemical composition. 
   
   
       14 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the segment (NWS), the additional segment (NWA), and preferably the further segment (NWF) each comprise the phase change material. 
   
   
       15 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein a segment (NWS) of the nanowire comprising the phase change material has a wire diameter between 5 and 50 nm. 
   
   
       16 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the resistor ( 107 ) constitutes a memory element ( 170 ), and the body ( 102 ) comprises:
 an array of memory cells, each memory cell comprising a respective memory element ( 170 ) and a respective selection device ( 171 ), and   a grid of selection lines ( 120 ,  121 ),   
     each memory cell being individually accessible via the respective selection lines ( 120 ,  121 ) connected to the respective selection device ( 171 ). 
   
   
       17 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the selection device ( 171 ) comprises a diode. 
   
   
       18 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the selection device ( 171 ) is integral part of the nanowire (NW). 
   
   
       19 . An electric device ( 100 ) as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the selection device ( 171 ) comprises a transistor having a source region ( 172 ), a drain region ( 173 ) and a gate region ( 174 ), and   the grid of selection lines ( 120 ,  121 ) comprises N first selection lines ( 120 ), M second selection lines ( 121 ), and an output line, the resistor ( 107 ) of each memory element ( 170 ) electrically connecting a first region selected from the source region ( 172 ) and the drain region ( 173 ) of the corresponding metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor to the output line, a second region of the corresponding metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor selected from the source region ( 172 ) and the drain region ( 173 ) and being free from the first region, being electrically connected to one of the N first selection lines ( 120 ), the gate region ( 174 ) being electrically connected to one of the M second selection lines ( 121 ).