Sidewall type memory cell

1. A cell for a resistive memory, comprising:

a bottom electrode;

a top electrode layer defining a sidewall; and

an electrolyte layer arranged between the bottom and top electrode layers, such that a conductive path is defined between the bottom electrode and the top electrode sidewall via the electrolyte layer; and

wherein the bottom electrode layer extends generally horizontally with respect to a horizontal substrate, and the top electrode sidewall extends non-horizontally with respect to the horizontal substrate, wherein the top electrode sidewall defines a ring shape extending around an outer perimeter of the bottom electrode.

2. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom electrode has the shape of a flat circular electrode disk.

3. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the top electrode layer comprises a covering portion extending over and parallel to the bottom electrode.

4. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a sidewall extending non-horizontally with respect to the horizontal substrate, and wherein the conductive path is defined through the electrolyte sidewall.

5. The cell according to claim 4 , wherein the electrolyte layer sidewall extends parallel to the non-horizontal top electrode sidewall.

6. The cell according to claim 5 , wherein the electrolyte layer sidewall defines a ring extending radially inside the top electrode layer.

7. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 30 and 90 degrees(non-inclusive).

8. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 60 and 90 degrees (non-inclusive).

9. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 45 and 85 degrees (non-inclusive).

10. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends perpendicular relative to the horizontal substrate.

11. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein:

the bottom electrode layer is formed on a substrate layer and has a bottom electrode layer thickness, and

the top electrode layer is spaced apart from the substrate layer by a distance less than the bottom electrode thickness.

12. The cell according to claim 11 , wherein the top electrode layer is spaced apart from the substrate layer by a portion of the electrolyte layer.

13. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cell is configured such that when a positive bias-voltage is applied to the cell, a conductive path grows in a non-vertical direction between the bottom electrode and the top electrode sidewall.

14. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cell is configured such that when a positive bias-voltage is applied to the cell, a conductive path grows in a generally horizontal between the bottom electrode and the top electrode sidewall.

15. A method of forming a sidewall-type resistive memory cell, the method comprising:

depositing a bottom electrode layer over a horizontally extending substrate;

forming a mask layer over the bottom electrode layer;

patterning the bottom electrode layer and the mask layer to define a bottom electrode and mask region;

depositing an electrolyte layer;

forming a top electrode such that a sidewall of the top electrode extends non-horizontally with respect to the horizontal substrate, with the electrolyte layer arranged between the bottom electrode and the top electrode layer sidewall; and

forming the top electrode such that the top electrode sidewall defines a ring shape extending around an outer perimeter of the bottom electrode.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the bottom electrode has the shape of a flat circular electrode disk.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 30 and 90 degrees (non-inclusive).

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 60 and 90 degrees (non-inclusive).

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends at an angle relative to the horizontal substrate, the angle being between 45 and 85 degrees (non-inclusive).

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the top electrode sidewall extends perpendicular relative to the horizontal substrate.

21. The method according to claim 15 , comprising:

forming the bottom electrode with a bottom electrode layer thickness, and

forming the top electrode such that the top electrode is spaced apart from the horizontally extending substrate by a distance less than the bottom electrode thickness.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the top electrode layer is spaced apart from the substrate layer by a portion of the electrolyte layer.

23. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising applying a positive bias-voltage is applied to the cell such that a conductive path grows in a non-vertical direction between the bottom electrode and the top electrode sidewall.

24. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising applying a positive bias-voltage is applied to the cell such that a conductive path grows in a generally horizontal direction between the bottom electrode and the top electrode sidewall.