Nonvolatile Resistive Memory Element With A Metal Nitride Containing Switching Layer
Abstract
A nonvolatile resistive memory element has a novel variable resistance layer that includes a metal nitride, a metal oxide-nitride, a two-metal oxide-nitride, or a multilayer stack thereof. One method of forming the novel variable resistance layer comprises an interlayer deposition procedure, in which metal oxide layers are interspersed with metal nitride layers and then converted into a substantially homogeneous layer by an anneal process. Another method of forming the novel variable resistance layer comprises an intralayer deposition procedure, in which various ALD processes are sequentially interleaved to form a metal oxide-nitride layer. Alternatively, a metal oxide is deposited, nitridized, and annealed to form the variable resistance layer or a metal nitride is deposited, oxidized, and annealed to form the variable resistance layer.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedWe claim:
1 . A stack comprising:
a first layer; a second layer; and a third layer,
wherein the third layer is disposed between the first layer and the second layer,
wherein the third layer comprises nitrogen and a first element,
the first element is one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), and silicon (Si).
2 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer further comprises oxygen.
3 . The stack of claim 2 , wherein the third layer comprises a second element different than the first element, the second element is one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), and silicon (Si).
4 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises one of HfN x , ZrN x , SiN x , AlN x , HfO x N y , ZrO x N y , AlO x N y , TaO x N y , Hf x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) , Zr x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) , Hf x Zr y O z N (1-x-y-z) , and Hf x Al y O z N (1-x-y-z) .
5 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises one of Hf x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) , Zr x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) , Hf x Zr y O z N (1-x-y-z) , and Hf x Al y O z N (1-x-y-z) .
6 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises a stack of multilayer sub-layers.
7 . The stack of claim 6 , wherein the multilayer sub-layers comprise one or more oxide sub-layers and one or more nitride sub-layers.
8 . The stack of claim 7 , wherein the one or more oxide sub-layers alternate with the one or more nitride sub-layers within the third layer.
9 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer has a thickness that is between about 10 and 100 angstroms (Å).
10 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer comprise different materials.
11 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein a work function of a material of the first layer is greater than a work function of a material of the second layer by at least 0.5 eV.
12 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises titanium nitride, and wherein the second layer comprises n-doped polysilicon.
13 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the first element is one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), tantalum (Ta), and titanium (Ti).
14 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the first element is hafnium (Hf).
15 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises Hf x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) .
16 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises Zr x Si y O z N (1-x-y-z) .
17 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises Hf x Zr y O z N (1-x-y-z) .
18 . The stack of claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises Hf x Al y O z N (1-x-y-z) .Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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