IP Library Granted Patent US 8,693,241
Granted Patent B2
US 8,693,241 · App. 13/244,181 · Granted Apr 8, 2014

Semiconductor intergrated circuit device, method of manufacturing the same, and method of driving the same

Inventors: Myoung Sub Kim (Ichon-si, KR); Soo Gil Kim (Ichon-si, KR); Nam Kyun Park (Ichon-si, KR); Sung Cheoul Kim (Ichon-si, KR); Gap Sok Do (Ichon-si, KR); Joon Seop Sim (Ichon-si, KR); Hyun Jeong Lee (Ichon-si, KR)
Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,693,241
App. No.
13/244,181
Granted
Apr 8, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of driving the same are provided. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, an upper electrode extending from a surface of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of switching structures extending from both sidewalls of the upper electrode in a direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a phase-change material layer disposed between the plurality of switching structures and the upper electrode.

Claims (46)

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

an upper electrode extending from a surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of switching structures stacked and extending from either side of the upper electrode in a direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and

a phase-change material layer disposed between the plurality of switching structures and the upper electrode.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of switching structures includes:

a heating electrode in contact with the phase-change material layer; and

a switching device disposed on one side of the heating electrode.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the switching device is a diode.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of switching structures further includes an ohmic contact layer interposed between the heating electrode and the diode.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching structures stacked are insulated with an insulating layer being interposed.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching structures stacked are connected to different word lines, respectively.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a barrier metal layer interposed between each of the plurality of switching structures and a corresponding word line.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of switching structures stacked is formed to have linewidths to be narrower as the switching structures extend upward, so that edge portions of the plurality of switching structures spaced apart from the upper electrode is exposed in a cascade shape.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode is connected to any one of bit lines.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the bit line extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the word lines.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the upper electrode extends in a line shape in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bit lines.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of switching structures stacked disposed in plurality at a constant interval to an extension direction of the upper electrode.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the upper electrode is disposed in a pillar shape only in portions thereof overlapping the bit lines.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the phase-change material layer is formed along an inner surface of the upper electrode.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the upper electrode includes protrusions for the plurality of switching structures stacked.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the phase-change material layer is arranged on one side of each of the plurality of switching structures stacked.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the upper electrode includes protrusions for region where the phase-change material layers are formed.

18. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a current path improvement layer between the phase-change material layer in contact with the switching structures and the upper electrode.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the current path improvement layer is formed of an insulating layer.

20. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a bit line electrically connected to the upper electrode and disposed between the semiconductor substrate and a lowermost switching structure.

21. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

an upper electrode formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate in a pillar shape and substantially connected to a bit line;

a plurality of switching structures extending from a sidewall of the upper electrode in a direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and

a phase-change material layer disposed between the plurality of switching structures and the upper electrode and the phase-change material is configured to change in phase according to an operation of the plurality of switching structures,

wherein the plurality of switching structures are alternatively stacked with an insulating layer being interposed, and

wherein the plurality of switching structures are electrically connected to difference word lines from each other.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the phase-change material layer is formed to surround the plurality of switching structures and the insulating layer interposed between the plurality of switching structures.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein recess units are included in sidewalls of the plurality of switching structures covered by the phase-change material layer and the insulating layer toward the plurality of switching structures.

24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the upper electrode includes protrusions filling the recess units.

25. The device of claim 23 , wherein an insulating layer for improving a current path is further filled in a surface of the phase-change material layer corresponding to the recess units.

26. The device of claim 21 , wherein the phase-change material layer is formed in a pattern shape on one side of each of the plurality of switching structures.

27. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

an upper electrode formed in a pillar shape on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and substantially connected to a bit line;

a plurality of switching structures extending from a sidewall of the upper electrode in a direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and

a phase-change material layer formed along a bottom surface and a side surface of the upper electrode and being in partial contact with the plurality of switching structures to be phase-changed,

wherein the plurality of switching structures are stacked and disposed with an insulating layer placed in between,

wherein the plurality of switching structures are electrically connected to different word lines from each other, and

wherein the bit line is formed on a surface above the plurality of switching structures and substantially perpendicular to the word lines.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 18, 2014
From: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 032270/0681 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2011
From: KIM, MYOUNG SUB; KIM, SOO GIL; PARK, NAM KYUN; KIM, SUNG CHEOUL; DO, GAP SOK; SIM, JOON SEOP; LEE, HYUN JEONG
To: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
Reel/Frame 026965/0394 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2011-0069624 · Jul 13, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130016555A1 · Jan 17, 2013