Shaping ReRAM conductive filaments by controlling grain-boundary density
US9246085B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignees
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N70/828
Abstract
Filament size and shape in a ReRAM stack can be controlled by doping layers of a variable-resistance stack to change the crystallization temperature. This changes the density of the grain boundaries that form during annealing and provide minimal-resistance paths for the migration of charged defects. Hf, Zr, or Ti decreases the crystallization temperature and narrows the filament, while Si or N increases the crystallization temperature and widens the filament. Tapered filaments are of interest: The narrow tip requires little energy to break and re-form, enabling the cell to operate at low power, yet the wider body and base are insensitive to entropic behavior of small numbers of defects, enabling the cell to retain data for long periods.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.