Phase change material memory device
View Patent ↗A lower electrode may be covered by a protective film to reduce the exposure of the lower electrode to subsequent processing steps or the open environment. As a result, materials that may have advantageous properties as lower electrodes may be utilized despite the fact that they may be sensitive to subsequent processing steps or the open environment.
1. A method comprising:
forming an electrically insulating protective layer over a conductive lower electrode of a phase change memory;
forming a pore over said insulating protective layer;
etching through said pore to open up said protective layer;
forming a chalcogenide in said pore touching said lower electrode; and
depositing the lower electrode and covering the lower electrode with a protective layer in the same chamber without venting back to the atmosphere.
2. The method of claim 1 including forming the protective layer of an insulator.
3. The method of claim 2 including forming the protective layer of a material in the form of silicon nitride.
4. The method of claim 3 including forming the silicon nitride in the form of Si 3 N 4 .