US2010321991A1PendingUtilityA1

Chalcogenide Devices Exhibiting Stable Operation from the As-Fabricated State

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Aug 9, 2005Filed: Aug 31, 2010Published: Dec 23, 2010
Est. expiryAug 9, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Sergey KostylevTyler LowreyGuy WickerWolodymyr Czubatyj
H10N 70/026H10N 70/8828H10N 70/826H10N 70/231
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Claims

Abstract

A chalcogenide material and chalcogenide memory device having less stringent requirements for formation, improved thermal stability and/or faster operation. The chalcogenide materials include materials comprising Ge, Sb and Te in which the Ge and/or Te content is lean relative to the commonly used Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 chalcogenide composition. Electrical devices containing the instant chalcogenide materials show a rapid convergence of the set resistance during cycles of setting and resetting the device from its as-fabricated state, thus leading to a reduced or eliminated need to subject the device to post-fabrication electrical formation prior to end-use operation. Improved thermal stability is manifested in terms of prolonged stability of the resistance of the device at elevated temperatures, which leads to an inhibition of thermally induced setting of the reset state in the device. Significant improvements in the 10 year data retention temperature are demonstrated. Faster device operation is achieved through an increased speed of crystallization, which acts to shorten the time required to transform the chalcogenide material from its reset state to its set state in an electrical memory device.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of operating a device comprising:
 forming a chalcogenide material; said chalcogenide material having an as-fabricated state, said as-fabricated state having a virgin resistance;   applying a first energy to said as-fabricated state of said chalcogenide material, said first energy transforming said chalcogenide material to a first set state, said first set state having a first resistance, said first resistance being between 75% and 125% of said virgin resistance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first resistance is between 85% and 115% of said virgin resistance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first energy is electrical energy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first energy increases the fractional crystallinity of said chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a second energy to said chalcogenide material, said second energy transforming said chalcogenide material from said first set state to a first reset state. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said second energy decreases the fractional crystallinity of said chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said second energy melts said chalcogenide material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising applying a third energy to said chalcogenide material, said third energy transforming said chalcogenide material from said first reset state to a second set state, said second set state having a second resistance, said second resistance being between 75% and 125% of said first resistance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said second resistance is between 85% and 115% of said first resistance. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said second energy and said third energy are electrical energy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resistance of said first reset state is at least twice the resistance of said first set state. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resistance of said first reset state is at least an order of magnitude greater than the resistance of said first set state. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resistance of said first reset state is at least twice the resistance of said second set state. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resistance of said first reset state is at least an order of magnitude greater than the resistance of said second set state. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the time of application of said third energy is less than or equal to 150 ns. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying a fourth energy to said chalcogenide material, said fourth energy transforming said chalcogenide material from said second set state to a second reset state. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising
 applying a fifth energy to said chalcogenide material, said fifth energy transforming said chalcogenide material from said second reset state to a third set state, said third set state having a third resistance, said third resistance being between 85% and 115% of said second resistance.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said fourth energy and said fifth energy are electrical energy. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the resistance of said second reset state is at least twice the resistance of said second set state. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the resistance of said second reset state is at least twice the resistance of said third set state.

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