Oxide based memory with a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path
Methods, devices, and systems associated with oxide based memory can include a method of forming an oxide based memory cell. Forming an oxide based memory cell can include forming a first conductive element, forming a substoichiometric oxide over the first conductive element, forming a second conductive element over the substoichiometric oxide, and oxidizing edges of the substoichiometric oxide by subjecting the substoichiometric oxide to an oxidizing environment to define a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path near a center of the oxide.
1. A method of forming an oxide based memory cell, comprising:
forming a first conductive element;
forming a substoichiometric oxide over the first conductive element;
forming a second conductive element over the substoichiometric oxide; and
oxidizing edges of the substoichiometric oxide by subjecting the substoichiometric oxide to an oxidizing environment to define a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path near a center of the oxide.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein oxidizing the edges of the substoichiometric oxide comprises creating an oxygen vacancy gradient across the substoichiometric oxide.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein oxidizing the edges of the substoichiometric oxide comprises encapsulating the first conductive element, the substoichiometric oxide, and the second conductive element with an oxygen-rich oxide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the substoichiometric oxide comprises forming an oxide having an oxygen percentage below a stoichiometric ratio for the oxide.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein oxidizing the edges of the substoichiometric oxide includes exposing the substoichiometric oxide to the oxidizing environment.
6. A method of forming an oxide based memory cell, comprising:
forming a via in a dielectric;
forming a first conductive element in the via;
forming an oxygen getter over the first conductive element;
forming an oxide over the first conductive element and over the oxygen getter, wherein forming the oxide over the oxygen getter includes defining a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path; and
forming a second conductive element over the oxide.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
forming the first conductive element comprises forming an inert first conductive element; and
forming the oxide comprises forming a near-stoichiometric oxide.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
forming the first conductive element comprises forming an oxygen-rich first conductive element; and
forming the oxide comprises forming a substoichiometric oxide.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
forming the first conductive element comprises conformally depositing the first conductive element over the dielectric, including in the via; and
forming the oxygen getter includes conformally depositing the oxygen getter over the first conductive element, including portions of the first conductive element in the via.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method includes removing portions of the first conductive element and the oxygen getter material that are external to the via prior to forming the oxide.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the oxygen getter comprises one of titanium and tantalum.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the oxygen getter includes forming a self-aligned sub-lithography conductive oxygen getter.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the oxygen getter includes defining the controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path between the first conductive material and the second conductive material.
14. A method of forming an oxide based memory cell, comprising:
forming an array of first conductive elements;
patterning stripes of an oxide over the array of first conductive elements;
patterning stripes of a first material over the array of first conductive elements perpendicular to and intersecting the stripes of the oxide;
filling a gap between the stripes of the oxide and the stripes of the first material with a second material to define a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path in the oxide; and
forming an array of second conductive elements over intersections of the stripes of the oxide and the stripes of the first material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the first material comprises an oxygen block material;
the oxide comprises a substoichiometric oxide; and
the second material comprises an oxygen rich oxide.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein filling the gap between the stripes of the substoichiometric oxide and the stripes of the oxygen block material with the oxygen rich oxide includes defining the controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path in the substoichiometric oxide at the intersections of the stripes of the substoichiometric oxide and the stripes of the oxygen block material.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the first material comprises an oxygen getter material;
the oxide comprises a stoichiometric oxide; and
the second material comprises an inert dielectric.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein filling the gap between the stripes of the stoichiometric oxide and the stripes of the oxygen getter material includes defining the controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path in the stoichiometric oxide at intersections of the stripes of the stoichiometric oxide and the stripes of the oxygen getter material.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes defining the controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path in the oxide at the intersections of the stripes of the oxide and the stripes of the first material.
20. An oxide based memory cell, comprising:
a first conductive element;
a substoichiometric oxide on the first conductive element;
a second conductive element on the substoichiometric oxide including a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path at a center of the second conductive element; and
an oxygen-rich oxide encapsulating the first conductive element, the substoichiometric oxide, and the second conductive element.
21. The memory cell of claim 20 , wherein the substoichiometric oxide comprises one of a titanium oxide (TiOx), a copper oxide (CuOx), and a tantalum oxide (TaOx).
22. An oxide based memory cell, comprising:
a first conductive element on a top surface and a side surface of a dielectric;
an oxygen getter on a top surface and a side surface of the first conductive element;
an oxide on the first conductive element and on the oxygen getter; and
a second conductive material on the oxide, wherein the oxygen getter defines a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path between the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
23. The memory cell of claim 22 , wherein the first conductive element is inert and the oxide is a near-stoichiometric oxide.
24. The memory cell of claim 22 , wherein the first conductive element is oxygen-rich and the oxide is a substoichiometric oxide.
25. The memory cell of claim 24 , wherein the oxygen-rich first conductive element comprises a ruthenium oxide (RuOx).
26. The memory cell of claim 22 , wherein the oxygen getter comprises one of titanium and tantalum.
27. The memory cell of claim 22 , wherein the oxygen getter comprises a self-aligned sub-lithography conductive oxygen getter.
28. An oxide based memory cell, comprising:
a first conductive element;
a substoichiometric oxide on the first conductive element;
a first material on the first conductive element perpendicular to and intersecting the substoichiometric oxide;
a second material between the substoichiometric oxide and the first material; and
a second conductive element on an intersection of the substoichiometric oxide and the first material,
wherein a controlled oxygen vacancy conduction path is defined in the substoichiometric oxide at the intersection of the substoichiometric oxide and the second material.
29. The memory cell of claim 28 , wherein:
the first material comprises an oxygen block material; and
the second material comprises an oxygen rich oxide.
30. The memory cell of claim 28 , wherein:
the first material comprises an oxygen getter material; and
the second material comprises an inert dielectric.
31. The memory cell of claim 28 , wherein the substoichiometric oxide comprises one of a titanium oxide (TiOx), a copper oxide (CuOx), and a tantalum oxide (TaOx).