Controlling dopant concentration in correlated electron materials

Abstract

Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to fabrication of a correlated electron material (CEM) device. In embodiments, after formation of the one or more CEM traces, a spacer may be deposited in contact with the one or more CEM traces. The spacer may operate to control an atomic concentration of dopant within the one or more CEM traces by replenishing dopant that may be lost during subsequent processing and/or by forming a seal to reduce further loss of dopant from the one or more CEM traces.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A device, comprising:
 a plurality of correlated electron material (CEM) traces formed over a first level, one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces to comprise an electron back-donating material to include a dopant; and   a spacer formed to fill at least a portion of a trench separating adjacent individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces, the spacer to control an atomic concentration of the dopant within the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces at least in part by enabling diffusion of the dopant from the spacer into the one or more individual CEM traces to thereby impart particular impedance switching characteristics within the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer is adapted to diffuse the dopant into the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces to maintain the atomic concentration of the dopant within the one or more individual CEM traces in a range of about 0.1% to about 10.0%. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the dopant to comprise a carbon-containing dopant species or a nitrogen-containing dopant species, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer to comprise an atomic concentration of at least 50.0% silicon nitride (SiN). 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer to comprise an atomic concentration of at least 50.0% silicon nitride (SiO). 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer to comprise an atomic concentration of at least 50.0% silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) or silicon oxynitride (SiON), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer to restrict diffusion of the dopant from the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces, the atomic concentration of the dopant within the one or more individual CEM traces to be maintained within the range of 0.1% to 10.0%. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the spacer is adapted to diffuse the dopant into the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces to maintain the range of the atomic concentration of the dopant within the one or more individual CEM traces in a range of about 0.1% to about 10.0%. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 22 , further comprising one or more conductive traces formed over the one or more individual CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces. 
     
     
         31 . A device, comprising:
 a plurality of traces to comprise a correlated electron material (CEM) to have an atomic concentration of a dopant; and   a spacer to fill at least a portion of a trench separating adjacent CEM traces of the plurality of CEM traces, the spacer to restrict diffusion of a dopant species from at least one CEM trace of the adjacent CEM traces and to provide the dopant species to the at least one CEM trace to maintain an atomic concentration of the dopant within the at least one CEM trace.   
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of traces to comprise the CEM to have the atomic concentration of the dopant in the range of 0.1% and 10.0%. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the spacer to maintain the atomic concentration of the dopant within the at least on CEM trace within the range of 0.1 and 10.0%. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the dopant species to comprise carbon or nitrogen, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the spacer to comprise an atomic concentration of at least 50.0% aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon nitride (SiN) or silicon oxynitride (SiON), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the spacer to comprise a carbon-containing or nitrogen-containing dopant species to have an atomic concentration approximately in the range of 0.1% to 10.0%. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 31 , further comprising a respective plurality of conductive traces formed over the plurality of CEM traces.