This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-198176, filed on Sep. 10, 2012; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a memory device.
Ionic memory has been proposed as a next-generation flash memory. In ionic memory, a low resistance state is realized by forming a metal filament in an insulating film by causing metal ions to diffuse into the insulating film and precipitate as a simple substance. A high resistance state is realized by breaking the current path by causing at least a portion of the metal filament to vanish. Binary data is stored by switching between the low resistance state and the high resistance state.
In general, according to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first interconnect extending in a first direction, a second interconnect extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a pillar connected between the first interconnect and the second interconnect. The pillar includes a first high-resistance layer, a second high-resistance layer, and a metal layer. The first high-resistance layer is connected to the first interconnect. A resistivity of the first high-resistance layer is higher than a resistivity of the first interconnect and a resistivity of the second interconnect. The second high-resistance layer is connected to the second interconnect. A resistivity of the second high-resistance layer is higher than the resistivity of the first high-resistance layer. A thickness of the second high-resistance layer is not more than a thickness of the first high-resistance layer. The metal layer is disposed between the first high-resistance layer and the second high-resistance layer. The metal layer includes a metal.
In general, according to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first interconnect extending in a first direction, a second interconnect extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a pillar connected between the first interconnect and the second interconnect. The pillar includes a first high-resistance layer and a second high-resistance layer. The first high-resistance layer is connected to the first interconnect. A resistivity of the first high-resistance layer is higher than a resistivity of the first interconnect and a resistivity of the second interconnect. The second high-resistance layer is connected to the second interconnect. A resistivity of the second high-resistance layer is higher than the resistivity of the first high-resistance layer. A thickness of the second high-resistance layer is not more than a thickness of the first high-resistance layer. The second high-resistance layer includes a metal.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
First, a first embodiment will be described.
The memory device according to the embodiment is an ionic memory.
In the memory device 1 according to the embodiment as shown in
In the memory cell unit 13, a word line interconnect layer 14 including multiple word lines WL extending in one direction (hereinbelow referred to as a “word line direction”) parallel to the upper surface of the silicon substrate 11 is alternately stacked with a bit line interconnect layer 15 including multiple bit lines BL extending in a direction (hereinbelow referred to as a “bit line direction”) parallel to the upper surface of the silicon substrate 11 to cross, e.g., to be orthogonal to, the word line direction. The word lines WL do not contact each other; the bit lines BL do not contact each other; and the word lines WL do not contact the bit lines BL. The word lines WL and the bit lines BL are formed of, for example, tungsten (W).
A pillar 16 is provided at each of the most proximal points between the word lines WL and the bit lines BL to extend in a direction (hereinbelow referred to as a “vertical direction”) perpendicular to the upper surface of the silicon substrate 11. The pillar 16 has, for example, a circular columnar configuration, a quadrilateral columnar configuration, or a substantially quadrilateral columnar configuration having rounded corners. The pillar 16 is formed between the word line WL and the bit line BL; and one memory cell MC includes one pillar 16. In other words, the memory device 1 is a cross-point type device in which the memory cells MC are disposed every most proximal point between the word lines WL and the bit lines BL. An inter-layer insulating film 17 (referring to
Each of the pillars 16 will now be described.
In the pillar 16 as shown in
The amorphous silicon layer 24 is formed of amorphous silicon and is connected to the bit line BL via the barrier metal layer 25. The resistivity of the amorphous silicon layer 24 is higher than the resistivity of the word line WL, the resistivity of the bit line BL, the resistivity of the barrier metal layer 21, and the resistivity of the barrier metal layer 25. The amorphous silicon layer 24 is thicker than the barrier metal layer 21 and thicker than the barrier metal layer 25.
The silicon oxide layer 22 is formed of silicon oxide and is connected to the word line WL via the barrier metal layer 21. The resistivity of the silicon oxide layer 22 is higher than the resistivity of the amorphous silicon layer 24. The thickness of the silicon oxide layer 22 is not more than the thickness of the amorphous silicon layer 24. The silicon oxide layer 22 is thicker than the barrier metal layer 21 and thicker than the barrier metal layer 25.
The silver layer 23 is made of silver (Ag) and is disposed between the silicon oxide layer 22 and the amorphous silicon layer 24 to contact the silicon oxide layer 22 and the amorphous silicon layer 24. The silver layer 23 is thinner than the silicon oxide layer 22 and the amorphous silicon layer 24 and thicker than the barrier metal layers 21 and 25.
Operations of the memory device according to the embodiment will now be described.
In
As shown in
As shown in
Because the silver atoms substantially are not diffused into the silicon oxide layer 22, the composition change at the interface between the silver layer 23 and the silicon oxide layer 22 is abrupt; and the electric field is applied concentratively at the interface. As a result, the silver atoms (Ag) of the silver layer 23 positioned proximally to the interface between the silver layer 23 and the silicon oxide layer 22 are ionized to become silver ions (Ag+) because a strong electric field is applied. The silver ions thus produced respond to the electric field to move through the silicon oxide layer 22 toward the word line WL which is the negative electrode. Then, the silver ions inside the silicon oxide layer 22 return to silver atoms (Ag) by combining with electrons (e−) supplied from the word line WL to form a metal filament F.
Then, as shown in
As shown in
On the other hand, the composition change of the interface between the silver layer 23 and the amorphous silicon layer 24 is not abrupt because many silver atoms are diffused from the silver layer 23 into the amorphous silicon layer 24; and the electric field does not easily concentrate at this interface. Therefore, the silver atoms do not ionize easily. The silver atoms that are not ionized do not move even when the electric field is applied. Moreover, only a weak electric field is applied to the silver ions that are ionized inside the amorphous silicon layer 24 because only a relatively weak electric field is applied to the amorphous silicon layer 24; and these silver ions do not move easily through the amorphous silicon layer 24. Therefore, filaments are not easily formed inside the amorphous silicon layer 24. Further, even if a filament is formed, the filament formed inside the amorphous silicon layer 24 does not reach the barrier metal layer 25 within the time necessary for the filament F inside the silicon oxide layer 22 to vanish because the thickness of the amorphous silicon layer 24 is not less than the thickness of the silicon oxide layer 22.
Thus, although the filament inside the silicon oxide layer 22 vanishes as a result of the reset operation, a filament that reaches the barrier metal layer 25 is not formed inside the amorphous silicon layer 24. Thereby, as shown in
Effects of the embodiment will now be described.
In the embodiment, the set operation and the reset operation are possible by providing the silicon oxide layer 22 and the amorphous silicon layer 24 on two sides of the silver layer 23 in each of the pillars 16 as described above. In the low resistance state as well, an excessive current does not flow in the memory cell MC because the amorphous silicon layer 24 functions as a resistor. In other words, breakdown of the memory cell MC does not occur due to excessive current because the amorphous silicon layer 24 functions as a compliance layer that limits the amount of current. Accordingly, the memory device 1 according to the embodiment has high reliability.
It also may be considered to limit the current flowing in each of the memory cells MC by providing a current-limiting circuit outside the memory cell unit 13. However, although such an external current-limiting circuit can limit the entire current flowing in the multiple memory cells MC, the current flowing in the individual memory cells MC cannot be limited individually. For example, in the case where each of the word lines WL is connected to the current-limiting circuit, only the total amount of current flowing in the multiple memory cells MC connected to the word line WL can be controlled.
Conversely, according to the embodiment, the amount of current flowing in the individual memory cells MC can be directly limited because the amorphous silicon layer 24 is provided as a current compliance layer in the individual memory cells MC. Thereby, the breakdown of the memory cells MC can be reliably prevented. In the embodiment as well, a current-limiting circuit that limits the amount of current of the entire memory cell unit 13 may be provided separately from the amorphous silicon layer 24.
In the embodiment, even when a voltage that is the reverse of the set voltage, i.e., a voltage in which the word line WL is the positive electrode and the bit line BL is the negative electrode, is applied to the pillar 16 in the high resistance state shown in
A second embodiment will now be described.
As shown in
A method for manufacturing the memory device according to the second embodiment will now be described.
In
First, as shown in
Thereby, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Otherwise, the manufacturing method of the embodiment is similar to the method for manufacturing a memory device having a normal cross-point structure.
In the embodiment, the manufacturing of the memory device 2 is easy because the silver which is the ion metal is contained inside the silicon oxide layer 22; and a silver layer does not exist as a metal layer. For example, when forming the pillars 16a by performing dry etching, the patterning can be performed at the conditions for silicon oxide; and it is unnecessary to process the silver layer as the metal layer. The film formation is easy when forming the amorphous silicon layer 24 because the amorphous silicon can be deposited using the silicon oxide layer 22 instead of the metal layer as the foundation. Corrosion of the silver layer does not occur because the silver layer does not exist as the metal layer. On the other hand, because the silver layer 23 is provided in the first embodiment described above, the silver atoms can be ionized more easily at the interface between the silver layer 23 and the silicon oxide layer 22, and the operational stability of the memory cell is higher than for the second embodiment. Otherwise, the configuration, the operations, and the effects of the second embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.
A third embodiment will now be described.
As shown in
According to the third embodiment, the manufacturing of the memory device is even easier than that of the second embodiment described above because the silver concentration layer 22a does not exist. Conversely, the silver atoms can be ionized more easily and the operational stability of the memory cell is higher for the first and second embodiments described above than for the third embodiment. Otherwise, the configuration, the manufacturing method, the operations, and the effects of the third embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment described above.
Although an example in which silver is used as the ion metal is illustrated in the embodiments described above, this is not limited thereto. Other than silver, for example, gold (Au), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co) may be used as the ion metal.
Although an example is illustrated in the embodiments described above in which silicon oxide and amorphous silicon are used as the materials of the pair of high-resistance layers provided on the two sides of the ion metal layer, this is not limited thereto. Other than amorphous silicon, the materials of the high-resistance layers may be, for example, polysilicon, silicon nitride (SiN), or a material in which a refractory metal is added to silicon nitride. The material in which the refractory metal is added to silicon nitride may include, for example, TaSiN, TiSiN, HfSiN, NbSiN, CrSiN, MoSiN, WSiN, CoSiN, and NiSiN. A high-resistance layer having the desired resistivity can be obtained using these materials.
In the first embodiment described above, buffer layers may be provided between the silicon oxide layer 22 and the silver layer 23 and between the silver layer 23 and the amorphous silicon layer 24. The materials of the buffer layers may include, for example, hafnium oxide (HfO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon (Si), polysilicon (polySi), etc. However, the composition ratios of the materials of the buffer layers are not limited to the examples described above. In the second embodiment described above as well, a similar buffer layer may be provided between the silicon oxide layer 22 and the amorphous silicon layer 24.
Instead of the silicon oxide layer (the SiO2 layer) 22 and the amorphous silicon layer (the a-Si layer) 24 in the embodiments described above, a stacked film including another layer with these layers may be provided. The other layer used in the stacked film may include a hafnium oxide layer (a HfO2 layer), an aluminum oxide layer (an Al2O3 layer), an amorphous silicon layer (an a-Si layer), a polysilicon layer (a polySi layer), etc. The combination of the stacked film may be (HfO2 layer/SiO2 layer), (Al2O3 layer/SiO2 layer), (a-Si layer/polySi layer), (a-Si layer/SiO2 layer), (polySi layer/SiO2 layer), etc.
According to the embodiments described above, a memory device having high reliability can be realized.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention. Additionally, the embodiments described above can be combined mutually.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012-198176 | Sep 2012 | JP | national |