Resistance variable element and resistance variable memory device

1. A method of manufacturing a resistance variable element comprising:

a first electrode forming step of forming a first electrode on a substrate;

a first resistance variable layer forming step of forming a first resistance variable layer comprising transition metal oxide, on the first electrode;

an interlayer insulating layer forming step of forming an interlayer insulating layer on the first resistance variable layer;

a through-hole forming step of forming a through-hole on the first resistance variable layer such that the through-hole penetrates the interlayer insulating layer;

a second resistance variable layer forming step of forming a second resistance variable layer comprising transition metal oxide such that the second resistance variable layer is in contact with the first resistance variable layer only in the one of the openings of the through-hole, inside the through-hole, the second resistance variable layer being different in resistivity from the first resistance variable layer; and

a step of forming a second electrode on the second resistance variable layer; wherein

an electric resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode changes by application of an electric pulse between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The method of manufacturing the resistance variable element according to claim 1 , wherein the first resistance variable layer covers entire of the one of the openings of the through-hole and protrudes outward over the one of the openings.

3. The method of manufacturing the resistance variable element according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an etching stopper layer forming step of forming an etching stopper layer on the first resistance variable layer, between the first resistance variable layer forming step and the interlayer insulating layer forming step, the etching stopper layer having a resistance to etching using an etching gas containing a fluorine compound gas;

wherein in the interlayer insulating layer forming step, the interlayer insulating layer is formed on the first resistance variable layer and the etching stopper layer.

4. The method of manufacturing the resistance variable element according to claim 3 , wherein in the through-hole forming step, the interlayer insulating layer is etched using an etching gas containing a fluorine-compound gas, and the etching stopper layer is etched using an inactive gas.

5. A resistance variable element comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode formed on the substrate;

a second electrode; and

an interlayer insulating layer;

wherein a through-hole is formed to penetrate the interlayer insulating layer;

a first resistance variable layer comprising transition metal oxide is formed outside the through-hole such that the first resistance variable layer is connected to the first electrode located outside the though-hole;

a second resistance variable layer comprising transition metal oxide is formed inside the through-hole;

the second electrode is formed on the second resistance variable layer;

the first resistance variable layer is different in resistivity from the second resistance variable layer;

the first resistance variable layer and the second resistance variable layer are in contact with each other only in one of openings of the through-hole, which opening is closer to the substrate; and

an electric resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode changes by application of an electric pulse between the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the first resistance variable layer is higher than the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the second resistance variable layer.

7. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein the second resistance variable layer covers a bottom portion and a side wall of the through-hole, the resistance variable element further comprising:

an electrode filled inside the through-hole such that the electrode is located on the second resistance variable layer.

8. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first resistance variable layer covers entire of the opening of the through-hole which is closer to the substrate and protrudes outward over the entire opening when viewed from a thickness direction of the interlayer insulating layer; and

the second resistance variable layer covers entire of the one of the openings of the through-hole and does not protrude outward over the one of the openings when viewed from the thickness direction of the interlayer insulating layer.

9. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein each of the transition metal oxide of the first resistance variable layer and the transition metal oxide of the second resistance variable layer is an oxide of at least one transition metal which is selected from a group consisting of Ta, Hf and Zr.

10. The resistance variable element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transition metal oxide of the first resistance variable layer and the transition metal oxide of the second resistance variable layer are tantalum oxides, respectively;

when one of the tantalum oxides is expressed as TaO x , 0.8≦x≦1.9 is satisfied; and

when the other tantalum oxide is expressed as TaO y , x<y is satisfied.

11. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the first resistance variable layer is lower than the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the second resistance variable layer.

12. The resistance variable element according to claim 5 ,

wherein the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the first resistance variable layer is higher than the resistivity of the transition metal oxide of the second resistance variable layer; comprising:

an etching stopper layer formed between the interlayer insulating layer and the first resistance variable layer, the etching stopper layer having a resistance to etching using an etching gas containing a fluorine compound gas, the through-hole penetrating the interlayer insulating layer and the etching stopper layer.

13. The resistance variable element according to claim 12 ,

wherein the etching stopper layer comprises at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxynitride (SiON) and silicon carbon nitride (SiCN).

14. The resistance variable element according to claim 12 or 13 ,

wherein the etching stopper layer has a thickness which is not less than 5 nm.

15. A resistance variable memory device comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of first wires formed within a first plane parallel to a main surface of the substrate to extend in parallel with each other in a first direction;

a plurality of second wires formed within a second plane parallel to the first plane to extend in parallel with each other in a second direction and three-dimensionally cross the plurality of first wires, respectively; and

memory cells respectively formed at three-dimensional cross-points of the first wires and the second wires;

each of the memory cells including the resistance variable element as recited in claim 5 and a current controlling element connected in series with the resistance variable element; and

the interlayer insulating layer being formed between the first plane and the second plane.

16. The resistance variable memory device according to claim 15 ,

wherein the current controlling element covers one of openings of the through-hole corresponding to the resistance variable element constituting a memory cell, which opening is not covered with the first resistance variable layer, the memory cell including the current controlling element and the resistance variable element.

17. The resistance variable memory device according to claim 15 ,

wherein the current controlling element is formed at one of both sides of the interlayer insulating layer, where the first resistance variable layer of the resistance variable element constituting a memory cell is provided, the memory cell including the current controlling element and the resistance variable element.

18. The resistance variable memory device according to claim 15 ,

wherein the current controlling element is at least one element selected from a group consisting of a MIM diode, a MSM diode, and a varistor.