Memory cell formation using ion implant isolated conductive metal oxide

US8003511B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR · US

Inventors

• Darrell Rinerson · Cupertino, US
• Jonathan Bornstein · Cupertino, US
• Robin Cheung · Cupertino, US
• David Hansen · Hillsboro, US
• Steven W. Longcor · Mountain View, US
• Rene Meyer · Atherton, US
• Lawrence Schloss · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 18, 2009
• Grant date: Aug 23, 2011
• Expiry date: Jan 4, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/02565
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Memory cell formation using ion implant isolated conductive metal oxide is disclosed, including forming a bottom electrode below unetched conductive metal oxide layer(s), forming the unetched conductive metal oxide layer(s) including depositing at least one layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO) material (e.g., PrCaMnOX, LaSrCoOX, LaNiOX, etc.) over the bottom electrode. At least one portion of the layer of CMO is configured to act as a memory element without etching, and performing ion implantation on portions of the layer(s) of CMO to create insulating metal oxide (IMO) regions in the layer(s) of CMO. The IMO regions are positioned adjacent to electrically conductive CMO regions in the unetched layer(s) of CMO and the electrically conductive CMO regions are disposed above and in contact with the bottom electrode and form memory elements operative to store non-volatile data as a plurality of conductivity profiles (e.g., resistive states indicative of stored data).