Memory elements
View Patent ↗Annular, linear, and point contact structures are described which exhibit a greatly reduced susceptibility to process deviations caused by lithographic and deposition variations than does a conventional circular contact plug. In one embodiment, a standard conductive material such as carbon or titanium nitride is used to form the contact. In an alternative embodiment, a memory material itself is used to form the contact. These contact structures may be made by various processes, including chemical mechanical planarization and facet etching.
1. A contact comprising:
a substrate;
a structure protruding from the substrate, the structure having at least one corner; and
a layer of insulating material disposed over the structure in a manner that leaves the at least one corner of the structure not covered by the layer of insulating material.
2. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.
3. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a conductive material.
4. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a memory material.
5. The contact of claim 4 , wherein the memory material comprises a chalcogenide material.
6. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a conductive region in electrical contact with the structure.
7. The contact of claim 1 , wherein structure electrically couples at least two components in different layers of a semiconductor circuit.
8. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the at least one corner of the structure forms a point contact.
9. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a pillar.
10. The contact of claim 9 , wherein the pillar is substantially square and comprises four corners.
11. The contact of claim 9 , wherein the pillar contact is substantially rectangular and comprises four corners.