Phase change memory element

1. A phase-change memory, comprising:

an electrode;

a phase-change material that contacts the electrode;

a first conductor that contacts the phase-change material; and

a second conductor that contacts the phase-change material;

wherein the second conductor is electrically connected to the first conductor only through the phase-change material, and wherein each of the first and second conductors is electrically connected to the electrode only through the phase-change material.

2. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , wherein a memory cell corresponding to one of the conductors comprises a multi-level memory cell.

3. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises In, Ge, Sb, Te, Ga, Sn, or combinations thereof.

4. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises Al, W, Mo, Ti, TiN, TiAlN, TiW, or TaN.

5. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , wherein the conductors comprise Al, W, Mo, Ti, TiN, TiAlN, TiW, or TaN.

6. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate below the electrode; and

a transistor formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein a source or a drain of the transistor is electrically connected to the electrode.

7. The phase-change memory of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the transistor is located below the surface of the substrate.

8. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate below the electrode; and

a diode formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein a terminal of the diode is electrically connected to the electrode.

9. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate below the electrode; and

a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein a terminal of the CMOS circuit is electrically connected to the electrode.

10. The phase-change memory of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is electrically connected to a bit line via a metal plug.

11. A phase-change memory, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes;

a phase-change material that contacts the plurality of electrodes;

at least one first conductor that contacts the phase-change material; and

at least one second conductor that contacts the phase-change material;

wherein the at least one second conductor is electrically connected to the at least one first conductor only through the phase-change material, and wherein the at least one first conductor and the at least one second conductor are electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes only through the phase-change material.

12. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are coplanar and formed on a substrate.

13. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are formed on a dielectric layer that is formed on a substrate.

14. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , further comprising a dielectric layer formed on sidewalls of each electrode of the plurality of electrodes.

15. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first conductor comprises a plurality of first conductors and the at least one second conductor comprises a plurality of second conductors.

16. The phase-change memory of claim 15 , wherein each first conductor of the plurality of first conductors comprises a plurality of first metal spacers and each second conductor of the plurality of second conductors comprises a plurality of second metal spacers.

17. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes is formed above a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.

18. The phase-change memory of claim 17 , wherein the at least one first conductor is formed above the at least one second conductor.

19. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein the phase change material comprises In, Ge, Sb, Te, Ga, Sn, or combinations thereof.

20. The phase-change memory of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises Al, W, Mo, Ti, TiN, TiAlN, TiW, or TaN.