Resistive memory and methods of processing resistive memory
View Patent ↗Resistive memory and methods of processing resistive memory are described herein. One or more method embodiments of processing resistive memory include conformally forming a cell material in an opening in an interlayer dielectric such that a seam is formed in the cell material, forming a conductive pathway by modifying the seam, and forming an electrode on the cell material and the seam.
1. A method of processing a memory cell, comprising:
forming a seam in a cell material;
wherein the seam is formed in the cell material by conformally forming the cell material; and
forming a conductive pathway in the seam.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes heating the conductive pathway after forming the conductive pathway in the seam.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes removing a portion of the cell material after forming the seam in the cell material.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method includes forming an electrode on the cell material and the seam after removing the portion of the cell material.
5. A method of processing a memory cell, comprising:
conformally forming a cell material such that a seam is formed in the cell material;
wherein the seam is an opening in the cell material; and
modifying the seam, wherein modifying the seam includes forming a filament in the seam.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method includes forming the filament in the seam such that the filament completely fills the seam.
7. A method of processing a memory cell, comprising:
conformally forming a cell material such that a seam is formed in the cell material;
forming a conductive pathway in the seam; and
removing a portion of the conductive pathway.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method includes diffusing atoms from the conductive pathway into the cell material after forming the conductive pathway in the seam.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conductive pathway is a different material than the cell material.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming the conductive pathway in the seam increases a concentration of atoms in the conductive pathway.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method includes forming the conductive pathway in the seam such that an end of the conductive pathway is adjacent to a bottom of the seam.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the removed portion of the conductive pathway includes a portion of the conductive pathway that is not in the seam.
13. A memory cell, comprising:
a conformally formed cell material having a seam formed therein; and
a conductive pathway in the seam, wherein the conductive pathway has a diameter of 5.0 nanometers or less.
14. The memory cell of claim 13 , wherein the conductive pathway includes a filament.
15. The memory cell of claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the filament is less than a thickness of the cell material.
16. The memory cell of claim 13 , wherein the cell material is a resistive memory cell material.
17. A memory cell, comprising:
a dielectric material having an opening;
a cell material in the opening;
a seam in the cell material; and
an electrode adjacent the opening, wherein the electrode is not in contact with the seam.
18. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein the cell material is conformally formed in the opening.
19. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein the memory cell includes a conductive pathway in the seam.
20. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein the memory cell includes only cell material between a bottom of the seam and the electrode.
21. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein a distance between a bottom of the seam and the electrode is 15 Angstroms or less.
22. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein the cell material conforms to the dielectric material.
23. The memory cell of claim 17 , wherein the opening has a diameter of 30 nanometers or less.