Memory structure and method of manufacture
View Patent ↗A solid state electrolyte memory structure includes a solid state electrolyte layer, a metal layer on the solid state electrolyte layer, and an etch stop layer on the metal layer.
1. A solid state electrolyte memory structure, comprising:
a solid state electrolyte layer;
a metal layer over and in physical contact with the solid state electrolyte layer;
an etch stop layer over and in physical contact with the metal layer; and
a hard mask layer on the etch stop layer.
2. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the hard mask layer comprises a metal hard mask layer.
3. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal hard mask layer comprises titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, or tantalum nitride or a combination of these materials.
4. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the solid state electrolyte layer comprises a chalcogenide material.
5. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 4 , wherein the chalcogenide material contains metal ions.
6. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 5 , wherein the metal ions are selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, zinc and combinations or alloys thereof.
7. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 4 , wherein the chalcogenide material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, germanium, tellurium, tungsten, and combinations or alloys thereof.
8. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises a material containing silver.
9. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the etch stop layer comprises a material that has a high etch resistance to a hard mask etch chemistry.
10. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the etch stop layer also serves as a diffusion barrier for the metal layer.
11. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 1 , wherein the etch stop layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Ru, NiFe, NiFeCr, Pt, PtMn, Ir, IrMn, and combinations or alloys thereof.
12. A memory structure, comprising:
an ion conducting material layer;
a metal layer in physical contact with the ion conducting material layer;
an etch stop layer in physical contact with the metal layer; and
a hard mask layer on the etch stop layer.
13. The memory structure of claim 12 , wherein the hard mask layer comprises a metal hard mask layer.
14. The memory structure of claim 13 , wherein the metal hard mask layer comprises at least one of titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, and/or tantalum nitride.
15. The memory structure of claim 12 , wherein the ion conducting material layer comprises a chalcogenide material.
16. The memory structure of claim 14 , wherein the ion conducting material layer comprises GeS, GeSe, or WOx.
17. The memory structure of claim 12 , wherein the metal layer comprises a material containing silver.
18. The memory structure of claim 12 , the etch stop layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Ru, NiFe, NiFeCr, Pt, PtMn, Ir, IrMn, and combinations or alloys thereof.
19. A solid state electrolyte memory structure, comprising:
a solid state electrolyte layer made of a chalcogenide material;
a silver layer in physical contact with the solid state electrolyte layer;
an etch stop layer in physical contact with the silver layer, the etch stop layer being made from a material selected from the group consisting of Ru, NiFe, NiFeCr, Pt, PtMn, Ir, and IrMn; and
a metal hard mask layer in physical contact with the etch stop layer.
20. The solid state electrolyte memory structure of claim 19 , wherein the metal hard mask layer comprises titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, or tantalum nitride.