Dielectric thin film on electrodes for resistance change memory devices
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for increasing thermal insulation in a resistance change memory device, also known as a phase change memory (PCM) device. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage structure of a PCM device, the storage structure having a chalcogenide material, an electrode having an electrically conductive material, the electrode having a first surface that is directly coupled with the storage structure, and a dielectric film having a dielectric material, the dielectric film being directly coupled with a second surface of the electrode that is disposed opposite to the first surface. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
1. A method comprising:
forming a storage structure of a phase change memory (PCM) device, the storage structure having a chalcogenide material;
forming an electrode having an electrically conductive material, the electrode having a first surface that is directly coupled with the storage structure; and
forming a dielectric film having a single layer of a dielectric material with a thickness of less than 0.7 nanometers, the dielectric film being directly coupled with a second surface of the electrode that is disposed opposite to the first surface, the dielectric film including a ceramic.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a first electrode having a first electrically conductive material and the storage structure includes a first surface that is directly coupled with the first electrode, the method further comprising:
forming a second electrode having a second electrically conductive material, the second electrode being directly coupled with a second surface of the storage structure that is disposed opposite the first surface of the storage structure.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
forming a third electrode having a third electrically conductive material, the third electrode being directly coupled with the dielectric film such that the dielectric film is disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric film is a first dielectric film having a first dielectric material and the storage structure includes a first surface that is directly coupled with the first electrode, the method further comprising:
forming a second dielectric film having a second dielectric material, the second dielectric film being directly coupled with a second surface of the storage structure that is disposed opposite to the first surface of the storage structure.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dielectric film comprises:
depositing a ceramic or a polymer to form the dielectric film.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a word-line or a bit-line, wherein the electrode is an intervening structure between the storage structure and the word-line or the bit-line and the dielectric film is part of an electrical pathway between the word-line or the bit-line and the storage structure.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PCM device is a phase change memory and switch (PCMS) device, and the storage structure is a storage element of the PCMS device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic is selected from a group consisting of titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), tungsten oxide (WO), and tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ).