Heating phase change material

Abstract

A phase change memory may be formed of two vertically spaced layers of phase change material. An intervening dielectric may space the layers from one another along a substantial portion of their lateral extent. An opening may be provided in the intervening dielectric to allow the phase change layers to approach one another more closely. As a result, current density may be increased at this location, producing heating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a controller;   a wireless interface coupled to said controller; and   a phase change memory, coupled to said controller, said phase change memory including first and second chalcogenide materials, said first and second chalcogenide materials being spaced from one another by an intervening layer, an opening through said intervening layer to reduce the space in between said first and second chalcogenide materials.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless interface includes a dipole antenna. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first and second chalcogenide materials are different chalcogenide materials. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said first chalcogenide material is part of a select device and said second chalcogenide material is part of a memory element. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  including a first and second contact, said first contact in contact with said first chalcogenide material and said second contact in contact with said second chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said contacts are spaced away from said opening along the length of said first and second chalcogenide materials. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said first and second contacts are substantially aligned with one another. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said intervening layer is more resistive than said first and second chalcogenide materials. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein said intervening layer is formed of a chalcogenide. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said intervening layer completely separates said first and second chalcogenide materials. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first and second chalcogenide materials are in contact at said opening. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said intervening layer is covered by a second intervening layer between said intervening layer and said second chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said intervening layer is formed directly on said first chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a controller; and   a memory coupled to the controller, the memory comprising:
 a first chalcogenide material; 
 a second chalcogenide material, wherein the first and second chalcogenide materials are spaced from one another by an intervening layer and a resistive layer, wherein the resistive layer is formed of a third chalcogenide material; and 
 an opening through the intervening layer to reduce the spacing between the first and second chalcogenide materials, 
 wherein the first and third chalcogenide materials are in physical contact in the opening and the second and third chalcogenide materials are in physical contact in the opening. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a wireless interface coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising an input/output device coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a controller configured to execute instructions; and   a phase change memory coupled to the controller and configured to store the instructions and further configured to store messages ;  wherein the phase change memory comprises a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells comprising:
 a first chalcogenide material; 
 a second chalcogenide material, wherein the first and second chalcogenide materials are spaced from one another by an intervening layer and a resistive layer, and wherein the first and second chalcogenide materials are different; and 
 an opening through the intervening layer allowing the first and second chalcogenide materials to be closer to one another in the opening, and wherein the resistive layer separates the first and second chalcogenide layers within the opening. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a wireless interface coupled to the controller and the phase change memory, wherein the wireless interface is configured to transmit and receive the messages. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first chalcogenide material is part of a select device and the second chalcogenide material is part of a memory element. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising first and second contacts, wherein the first contact contacts with the first chalcogenide material, and the second contact contacts with the second chalcogenide material.