Protuberant contacts for resistive switching devices
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a resistive switching device (RSD) that includes a first terminal, a second terminal, an active region having a switchable conduction state, and a protuberant contact communicatively coupled to the first terminal. The protuberant contact is configured to communicatively couple the first terminal through a first barrier liner to a first electrode line of a crossbar array. In embodiments of the invention, the protuberant contact is positioned with respect to the first barrier liner such that the first barrier liner does not impacting the switchable conduction state of the active region. In embodiments of the invention, the protuberant contact is positioned with respect to the first barrier liner such that the first barrier liner does not directly contact the first terminal.
1. A resistive switching device (RSD) component comprising:
a first terminal;
a second terminal;
an active region having a switchable conduction state; and
a protuberant contact communicatively coupled to the first terminal;
wherein the protuberant contact comprises a top protuberant portion positioned within a cavity formed through a surface of a first electrode line of a crossbar array;
wherein a width dimension of the top protuberant portion is greater than a width dimension of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the active region; and
wherein the protuberant contact is configured to communicatively couple the first terminal through the top protuberant portion and a first barrier liner in the cavity to the first electrode line of the crossbar array.
2. The component of claim 1 , wherein: the top protuberant portion comprises a curved top surface;
the first barrier liner in the cavity is on the curved top surface; and
the protuberant contact is positioned with respect to the first barrier liner such that the first barrier liner does not impact the switchable conduction state of the active region.
3. The component of claim 2 , wherein the protuberant contact is positioned with respect to the first barrier liner such that the first barrier liner does not directly contact the first terminal.
4. The component of claim 3 , wherein the second terminal is configured to communicatively couple through a second barrier liner to a second electrode line of the crossbar array.
5. The component of claim 4 , wherein the protuberant contact comprises a material selected from the list consisting of W, Co, and Ru.
6. The component of claim 1 , wherein:
the RSD is configured to perform a data storage operation; and
the data storage operation comprises a change in the switchable conduction state of the active region.
7. The component of claim 1 , wherein:
the first terminal comprises a titanium-based material;
the second terminal comprises a titanium-based material;
the first barrier liner comprises tantalum nitride-based material; and
the first electrode line of the crossbar array comprises a copper-based material.