Optoelectronic memory devices

Abstract

A structure. The structure includes a substrate, a resistive/reflective region on the substrate, and a light source/light detecting and/or a sens-amp circuit configured to ascertain a reflectance and/or resistance change in the resistive/reflective region. The resistive/reflective region includes a material having a characteristic of the material's reflectance and/or resistance being changed due to a phase change in the material. The resistive/reflective region is configured to respond, to an electric current through the resistive/reflective region and/or a laser beam projected on the resistive/reflective region, by the phase change in the material which causes a reflectance and/resistance change in the resistive/reflective region from a first reflectance and/or resistance value to a second reflectance and/or resistance value different from the first reflectance and/or resistance value.

1 . A structure, comprising:
 a first dielectric layer;   a resistive/reflective region on and in direct physical contact with the first dielectric layer such that the first dielectric layer is disposed between the resistive/reflective region and the semiconductor layer, wherein the resistive/reflective region comprises a material having a characteristic comprising the material's reflectance being changed due to a phase change in the material, and wherein the resistive/reflective region is configured to respond to an electric current through the resistive/reflective region, by the phase change in the material which causes a reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region from a first reflectance value to a second reflectance value different from the first reflectance value;   a second dielectric layer on and in direct physical contact with both the first dielectric layer and the resistive/reflective region such that the resistive/reflective region is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer; and   a light source/light detecting device configured to ascertain the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second dielectric layer on and in direct physical contact with the resistive/reflective region.   
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein the second dielectric layer is on and in direct physical contact with the first dielectric layer. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the resistive/reflective region is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second dielectric layers each comprise silicon dioxide 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises TaN. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the electric current through the resistive/reflective region is accompanied by a voltage applied across the resistive/reflective region such that the voltage generates the electric current through the resistive/reflective region. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 7 , wherein the reflectance of the resistive/reflective region remains at the second reflectance value after the voltage is removed. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 7 , wherein the light source/light detecting device configured to optically read the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region while the voltage is applied across the resistive/reflective region. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the first reflectance value corresponds to zero voltage across the resistive/reflective region, and   wherein the second reflectance value corresponds to the voltage applied cross the resistive/reflective region.   
     
     
         11 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region is irreversible. 
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the light source/light detecting device is configured to ascertain the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region by performing a process, said process comprising:
 sending a first incident laser beam to the resistive/reflective region;   receiving a first reflected beam from the resistive/reflective region, wherein the first reflected beam is a result of a reflection of the first incident laser beam off the resistive/reflective region;   sending a second incident laser beam to another reference resistive/reflective region, wherein the another reference resistive/reflective region is essentially identical to the resistive/reflective region;   receiving a second reflected beam from the another reference resistive/reflective region wherein the second reflected beam is a result of a reflection of the second incident laser beam off the another reference resistive/reflective region; and   comparing beam intensities of the first and second reflected beams to ascertain the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region.   
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first electrically conducting line on and in direct physical contact with the second dielectric layer such that the second dielectric layer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the first electrically conducting line, said first electrically conducting line comprising a first electrically conducting material;   a first via totally within the second dielectric layer, said first via comprising a first metal, said first electrically conducting line being electrically coupled to the resistive/reflective region by the first metal in the first via;   a second electrically conducting line on and in direct physical contact with the second dielectric layer such that the second dielectric layer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second electrically conducting line, said second electrically conducting line comprising a second electrically conducting material, said first and second electrically conducting lines being physically separated from each other; and   a second via totally within the second dielectric layer, said second via comprising a second metal, said second electrically conducting line being electrically coupled to the resistive/reflective region by the second metal in the second via, said first and second vias being physically separated from each other.   
     
     
         14 . A structure, comprising:
 N regular resistive/reflective regions on a substrate, N being a positive integer, wherein the N regular resistive/reflective regions comprise a material having a characteristic of changing the material's resistance and reflectance due to the material absorbing heat; and   a light detecting device optically coupled to the N regular resistive/reflective regions, wherein the light detecting device is adapted for recognizing a reflectance change in each regular resistive/reflective region of the N regular resistive/reflective regions.   
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 N sense-amp circuits electrically coupled one-to-one to the N regular resistive/reflective regions, wherein each sense-amp circuit of the N sense-amp circuits is adapted for recognizing a resistance change in the associated regular resistive/reflective region.   
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 15 , further comprising N reference resistive/reflective regions corresponding one-to-one to the N regular resistive/reflective regions,
 wherein for i=1, . . . , N, an i th  sense-amp circuit of the N sense-amp circuits is adapted for recognizing an i th  resistance difference between the i th  regular resistive/reflective region of the N regular resistive/reflective regions and the i th  reference resistive/reflective region of the N reference resistive/reflective regions.   
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 14 ,
 wherein for j=1, . . . , N, the light detecting device is adapted for recognizing a j th  reflectance difference between the j th  regular resistive/reflective region of the N regular resistive/reflective regions and the j th  reference resistive/reflective region of the N reference resistive/reflective regions.   
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 14 , wherein the material comprises TaN. 
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 14 , wherein for k=1, . . . , N, the light detecting device is adapted for:
 sending a k th  regular incident beam to a k th  regular resistive/reflective region of the N regular resistive/reflective regions,   receiving a k th  regular reflected beam from the k th  regular resistive/reflective region, wherein the k th  regular reflected beam is a result of a reflection of the k th  regular incident beam off the k th  regular resistive/reflective region,   sending a k th  reference incident beam to a k th  reference resistive/reflective region of the N reference resistive/reflective regions,   receiving a k th  reference reflected beam from the k th  reference resistive/reflective region, wherein the k th  reference reflected beam is a result of a reflection of the k th  reference incident beam off the k th  reference resistive/reflective region, and   comparing beam intensities of the k th  regular reflected beam and the k th  reference reflected beam.   
     
     
         20 . A structure, comprising:
 a resistive/reflective region on a substrate, wherein the resistive/reflective region comprises a material having a characteristic of changing the material's reflectance due to a phase change in the material;   means for sending an electric current through the resistive/reflective region so as to cause a reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region from a first reflectance value to a second reflectance value different from the first reflectance value; and   means for optically reading the reflectance change in the resistive/reflective region.