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US5789277A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of making chalogenide memory device

Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
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Filing: 1996-07-22
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Granted: 1998-08-04
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Expires: 2016-07-22
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Abstract

Abstract A method for fabricating chalcogenide memories in which ultra-small pores are formed in insulative layers using disposable spacers. The chalcogenide memory elements are positioned within the ultra-small pores. The chalcogenide memory elements thus defined have minimum lateral dimensions ranging from approximately 500 to 4000 Angstroms.

Inventors

  • 👤 Russell C. Zahorik
  • 👤 Alan R. Reinberg

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 07:11
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N70/00; H10N70/20; H10N70/231; H10D; H10D48/00; H10D48/30; H10D48/32; H10D48/366; H10N70/011; H10N70/061; H10N70/066; H10N70/068; H10N70/801; H10N70/821; H10N70/826; H10N70/881; H10N70/882; H10N70/8828

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of a first material onto a conductive substrate material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said first material; applying a layer of an insulative material onto said edge feature of said layer of said first material; applying a layer of a third material onto said layer of said insulative material; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of a first material onto a conductive substrate material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said first material; applying a layer of an insulative material onto said edge feature of said layer of said first material; applying a layer of a third material onto said layer of said insulative material; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein forming an edge feature in said layer of said first material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said first material to define an opening in said layer of said first material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said opening extends to said substrate material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said third material comprises: removing a portion of said layer of said third material to define a remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 4, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material not covered by said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising removing said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 158 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of a insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a third material onto said edge features of said layers of said insulative and second materials; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 158 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of a insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a third material onto said edge features of said layers of said insulative and second materials; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 7, wherein forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said second material to define an opening in said layer of said second material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said opening extends to said edge feature in said layer of said insulative material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 7, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said third material comprises: removing a portion of said layer of said third material to define a remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 10, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material not covered by said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising removing said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 180 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of an insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a third material onto said layer of said second material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said third material; applying a layer of a fourth material onto said edge feature of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said fourth material; removing a portion of said layer of said second material to define a pore in said layer of said second material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 180 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of an insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a third material onto said layer of said second material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said third material; applying a layer of a fourth material onto said edge feature of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said fourth material; removing a portion of said layer of said second material to define a pore in said layer of said second material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 13, wherein forming an edge feature in said layer of said third material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said third material to define an opening in said layer of said third material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said opening extends to said layer of said second material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 13, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said fourth material comprises: removing a portion of said layer of said fourth material to define a remaining portion of said layer of said fourth material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 16, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said second material to define a pore in said layer of said second material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said second material not covered by said remaining portion of said layer of said fourth material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 16, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material not covered by said remaining portion of said layer of said fourth material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 18, further comprising removing said remaining portion of said layer of said fourth material.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of an insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material; applying a layer of a third material onto said edge feature of said layer of said second material; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of fabricating a chalcogenide memory cell, comprising: applying a layer of an insulative material onto a conductive substrate material; applying a layer of a second material onto said layer of said insulative material; forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material; applying a layer of a third material onto said edge feature of said layer of said second material; removing a portion of said layer of said third material; removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material; applying a layer of a first conductive material into said pore; applying a layer of a chalcogenide material into said pore and onto said layer of said first conductive material; and applying a layer of a second conductive material into said pore and onto said layer of said chalcogenide material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 20, wherein forming an edge feature in said layer of said second material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said second material to define an opening in said layer of said second material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said opening extends to said layer of said insulative material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 20, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said third material comprises: removing a portion of said layer of said third material to define a remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 23, wherein removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material to define a pore in said layer of said insulative material comprises removing a portion of said layer of said insulative material not covered by said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 24, further comprising removing said remaining portion of said layer of said third material.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-08-03 2002-02-02 2002-08-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-08-03 2006-02-02 2006-08-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-08-03 2010-02-02 2010-08-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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