Patent · US Expired

Sublithographic contact structure, phase change memory cell with optimized heater shape, and manufacturing method thereof

US6972430B2 · kind B2 · utility

134Cited by
9References
16Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateFeb 20, 2003
Grant dateDec 6, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N70/8828
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electronic semiconductor device has a sublithographic contact area between a first conductive region and a second conductive region. The first conductive region is cup-shaped and has vertical walls which extend, in top plan view, along a closed line of elongated shape. One of the walls of the first conductive region forms a first thin portion and has a first dimension in a first direction. The second conductive region has a second thin portion having a second sublithographic dimension in a second direction transverse to the first dimension. The first and the second conductive regions are in direct electrical contact at their thin portions and form the sublithographic contact area. The elongated shape is chosen between rectangular and oval elongated in the first direction. Thereby, the dimensions of the contact area remain approximately constant even in presence of a small misalignment between the masks defining the conductive regions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.