Phase-change memory device using Sb-Se metal alloy and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

Provided are a phase-change memory device using a phase-change material having a low melting point and a high crystallization speed, and a method of fabricating the same. The phase-change memory device includes an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x phase-change material layer contacting a heat-generating electrode layer exposed through a pore and filling the pore. Due to the use of Sb x Se 100-x in the phase-change material layer, a higher-speed, lower-power consumption phase-change memory device than a GST memory device can be manufactured.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A phase-change memory device comprising:
 a heat-generating electrode layer; and 
 a first insulating layer partially covering the heat-generating electrode layer, exposing a portion of the heat-generating electrode layer, and having a pore therein; and 
 an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer contacting the portion of the heat-generating electrode layer exposed through the pore, and filling the pore, wherein the content (x) of antimony (Sb) in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 40 to 59. 
 
     
     
       2. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the further comprising:
 a first insulating layer partially covering the heat-generating electrode layer, exposing a portion of the heat-generating electrode layer, and having a pore with a width of the pore is less than 500 nm therein. 
 
     
     
       3. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the content (x) of antimony (Sb) in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 40 to 70. 
     
     
       4. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 540 to 570° C. 
     
     
       5. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is 50 to 80° C. lower than the melting point of a Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5  phase-change material layer. 
     
     
       6. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein a time required for crystallization of the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is decreased as the content (x) of antimony in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is increased. 
     
     
       7. The phase-change memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the crystallization temperature of the Sb x Se 100-x  chalcogenide phase-change material layer is at least higher than 122° C. 
     
     
       8. A method of fabricating a phase-change memory device, the method comprising:
 preparing a substrate; 
 forming a heat-generating electrode layer on the substrate; and 
 forming a first insulating layer that partially covers the heat-generating electrode layer, exposes a portion of one side of the heat-generating electrode layer, and has a pore therein; and 
 forming an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer that contacts the portion of the h heat-generating electrode layer exposed through the pore and fills the pore, 
 wherein the content (x) of antimony (Sb) in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 40 to 59. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content (x) of antimony (Sb) in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 40 to 70 further comprising:
 forming a first insulating layer that partially covers the heat-generating electrode layer, exposes a portion of one side of the heat-generating electrode layer, and has a pore therein. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  8  9, wherein the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is formed by dry etching so as to remain only in a phase-change portion around the pore. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , A method of fabricating a phase-change memory device, the method comprising:
 preparing a substrate; 
 forming a heat-generating electrode layer on the substrate; 
 forming a first insulating layer that partially covers the heat-generating electrode layer, exposes a portion of one side of the heat-generating electrode layer, and has a pore therein; and 
 forming an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer that contacts the portion of the heat-generating electrode layer exposed through the pore and fills the pore, 
 wherein the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is formed by dry etching so as to remain only in a phase-change portion around the pore, and  
 wherein a pressure of a chamber for etching the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 3 to 5 mTorr. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , A method of fabricating a phase-change memory device, the method comprising:
 preparing a substrate; 
 forming a heat-generating electrode layer on the substrate; 
 forming a first insulating layer that partially covers the heat-generating electrode layer, exposes a portion of one side of the heat-generating electrode layer, and has a pore therein; and 
 forming an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer that contacts the portion of the heat-generating electrode layer exposed through the pore and fills the pore, 
 wherein the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is formed by dry etching so as to remain only in a phase-change portion around the pore, and 
 wherein an etch gas for etching the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is a mixture of argon (Ar) and chlorine (Cl 2 ). 
 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  8  9, further comprising forming a second insulating layer covering the phase-change material layer after forming the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second insulating layer is formed using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second insulating layer is formed at room temperature. 
     
     
       16. A phase-change memory device comprising:
 a heat-generating electrode layer;   a first insulating layer partially covering the heat-generating electrode layer, exposing a portion of the heat-generating electrode layer, and having a pore therein; and   an antimony (Sb)-selenium (Se) chalcogenide Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer contacting the portion of the heat-generating electrode layer exposed through the pore, and wherein the content (x) of antimony (Sb) in the Sb x Se 100-x  phase-change material layer is in the range of 40 to 59.