Memory cell and method of making the memory cell
View Patent ↗Methods of making memory devices/cells are disclosed. A memory cell contains first and second electrode layers and a controllably conductive media therebetween. The controllably conductive media contains a copper sulfide-containing passive layer and active layer containing a Cu-doped tantalum oxide and/or titanium oxide layer. Methods of using the memory devices/cells, and devices such as computers containing the memory devices/cells are also disclosed.
1. A memory cell comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode;
a controllably conductive media between the first and second electrodes, the controllably conductive media comprising a passive layer and an active layer, the passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide, the active layer comprising a Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide.
2. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises at least copper.
3. The memory cell of claim 2 , wherein the passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide is formed by contacting a sulfide compound with the first electrode comprising at least copper.
4. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide has a thickness of about 25 Å or more and about 110 Å or less.
5. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide is formed by oxidizing a portion of the passive layer comprising copper sulfide layer to form a copper oxide layer, forming a metal layer comprising at least one of tantalum and titanium over the copper oxide layer, by oxidizing the metal layer with oxygen from the copper oxide layer to form a metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide, and by doping the metal oxide layer with copper from the copper oxide layer to form the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide.
6. The memory cell of claim 5 , wherein the copper oxide layer has a thickness of about 5 Å or more and about 50 Å or less and the metal oxide layer has a thickness of about 20 Å or more and about 60 Å or less.
7. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises at least aluminum.
8. A method of making a memory cell, comprising:
providing a dielectric layer having a first electrode formed therein;
forming a passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide over the first electrode;
forming a Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide over the passive layer; and
forming a second electrode layer over the Cu-doped metal oxide layer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode comprises at least copper.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide is formed by contacting a sulfide compound with the first electrode comprises at least copper.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide is formed by oxidizing a portion of the passive layer comprising copper sulfide layer to form a copper oxide layer, forming a metal layer comprising at least one of tantalum and titanium over the copper oxide layer, by oxidizing the metal layer with oxygen from the copper oxide layer to form a metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide, and by doping the metal oxide layer with copper from the copper oxide layer to form the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the copper oxide layer has a thickness of about 5 Å or more and about 50 Å or less and the metal oxide layer has a thickness of about 20 Å or more and about 60 Å or less.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide has a thickness of about 25 Å or more and about 110 Å or less.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second electrode comprises at least aluminum.
15. A memory cell made by:
providing a dielectric layer having a first electrode formed therein;
forming a passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide over the first electrode;
forming a Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide over the passive layer; and
forming a second electrode layer over the Cu-doped metal oxide layer.
16. The memory cell of claim 15 , wherein the first electrode comprises at least copper.
17. The memory cell of claim 16 , wherein the passive layer comprising at least copper sulfide is formed by contacting a sulfide compound with the first electrode comprising at least copper.
18. The memory cell of claim 15 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide is formed by oxidizing a portion of the passive layer comprising copper sulfide layer to form a copper oxide layer, forming a metal layer comprising at least one of tantalum and titanium over the copper oxide layer, by oxidizing the metal layer with oxygen from the copper oxide layer to form a metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide, and by doping the metal oxide layer with copper from the copper oxide layer to form the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide.
19. The memory cell of claim 18 , wherein the copper oxide layer has a thickness of about 5 Å or more and about 50 Å or less and the metal oxide layer has a thickness of about 20 Å or more and about 60 Å or less.
20. The memory cell of claim 15 , wherein the Cu-doped metal oxide layer comprising at least one of tantalum oxide and titanium oxide has a thickness of about 25 Å or more and about 110 Å or less.
21. The memory cell of claim 15 , wherein the second electrode comprises at least aluminum.