Memory element with a reactive metal layer
View Patent ↗A re-writeable non-volatile memory device including a re-writeable non-volatile two-terminal memory element (ME) having tantalum. The ME including a first terminal, a second terminal, a first layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO), and a second layer in direct contact with the first layer. The second layer and the first layer being operative to store at least one-bit of data as a plurality of resistive states, and the first and second layer are electrically in series with each other and with the first and second terminals.
1. A re-writeable non-volatile memory device, comprising:
a re-writeable non-volatile two-terminal memory element (ME) comprising a first transition metal, the ME comprising:
a first terminal,
a second terminal,
a first layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO), and
a second layer of reactive metal in direct contact with the first layer, the second layer and the first layer operative to store at least one-bit of data as a plurality of resistive states, wherein the first and second layer are electrically in series with each other and with the first and second terminals.
2. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first transition metal comprises tantalum.
3. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first transition metal comprises titanium.
4. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein first layer comprises the first transition metal.
5. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises the first transition metal.
6. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a second transition metal being different than the first transition metal.
7. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the ME is crystalline.
8. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the ME comprises a combination of materials including the first transition metal.
9. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 8 , wherein the combination of materials includes materials different than the first transition metal.
10. A method of fabricating a re-writeable non-volatile memory device comprising a first transition metal, the method comprising:
forming a first terminal;
forming a second terminal;
forming a first layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO); and
forming a second layer of reactive metal in direct contact with the first layer, the second layer and the first layer operative to store at least one-bit of data as a plurality of resistive states, wherein the first and second layer are electrically in series with each other and with the first and second terminals.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first transition metal comprises tantalum.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first transition metal comprises titanium.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein first layer comprises the first transition metal.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second layer comprises the first transition metal.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second layer comprises a second transition metal being different than the first transition metal.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ME is crystalline.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ME comprises a combination of materials including the first transition metal.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the combination of materials includes materials different than the first transition metal.
19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming of the first and second layers are performed through deposition.
20. The method of claim 19 , where the deposition is performed using processing at temperature above 400° C.
21. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the reactive metal of the second layer creates a differential between a first resistive state and a second resistive state of the plurality of resistive states in the CMO to exhibit switching properties.
22. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the reactive metal is deposited on the CMO and is less than 200 Å thick.
23. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the reactive metal reacts with the CMO to form a layer of reacted metal in the ME such that the ME is a multi-resistive state ME.
24. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 23 , wherein the reactive metal creates a non-ohmic device within the multi-resistive state ME.
25. The re-writeable non-volatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the reactive metal is between 10 Å thick and 100 Å thick.
26. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming the second layer comprises depositing the second layer of the reactive metal on the CMO, wherein the second layer of the reactive metal is less than 200 Å thick.
27. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second layer of the reactive metal is between 10 Å thick and 100 Å thick.