17543957. PHASE CHANGE MEMORY PROGRAMMING CURRENT LEAKAGE REDUCTION simplified abstract (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION)

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PHASE CHANGE MEMORY PROGRAMMING CURRENT LEAKAGE REDUCTION

Organization Name

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION

Inventor(s)

Injo Ok of Loudonville NY (US)

Soon-Cheon Seo of Glenmont NY (US)

Alexander Reznicek of Troy NY (US)

Youngseok Kim of Upper Saddle River NJ (US)

Timothy Matthew Philip of Albany NY (US)

PHASE CHANGE MEMORY PROGRAMMING CURRENT LEAKAGE REDUCTION - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17543957 titled 'PHASE CHANGE MEMORY PROGRAMMING CURRENT LEAKAGE REDUCTION

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a semiconductor device that includes a PCM stack with a unique geometry and an airgap. The airgap has a lower dielectric constant than the surrounding PCM stack material, which helps reduce current leakage and allows for expansion of the stack material when heated.

  • The semiconductor device includes a PCM stack with a specific geometry and an airgap.
  • The bottom electrode liner in the PCM stack has a top-down view plus (+) geometry, with a horizontal and vertical portion.
  • An airgap is formed between the horizontal and vertical portions of the bottom electrode liner.
  • The airgap has a lower dielectric constant than the surrounding PCM stack material.
  • The airgap helps reduce current leakage from the bottom electrode liner to the top contact or top electrode.
  • The airgap also allows for expansion of the surrounding PCM stack material when heated.

Potential Applications

  • This technology can be applied in various semiconductor devices, such as memory chips and microprocessors.
  • It can improve the performance and reliability of these devices by reducing current leakage and allowing for expansion during heating.

Problems Solved

  • Current leakage is a common issue in semiconductor devices, which can lead to power loss and decreased performance.
  • Expansion of the stack material during heating can cause stress and potential damage to the device.
  • This technology solves these problems by reducing current leakage and allowing for expansion without causing damage.

Benefits

  • Reduced current leakage improves the efficiency and performance of semiconductor devices.
  • The ability to expand without damage increases the reliability and lifespan of the devices.
  • This technology can be easily implemented in existing semiconductor manufacturing processes.


Original Abstract Submitted

A semiconductor device includes a PCM stack that includes bottom electrode liner over a lower heater. The bottom electrode liner has a top-down view plus (+) geometry with a ‘horizontal’ portion being orthogonal to a ‘vertical’ portion. An airgap is formed within the PCM stack in an area located adjacent and between the ‘horizontal’ portion and the ‘vertical’ portion. The airgap has a substantially smaller dielectric constant than the surrounding PCM stack material(s). Therefore, the airgap may effectively reduce the amount of current that leaks from the PCM stack when flowing from the bottom electrode liner to a top contact or top electrode. Further, the airgap may allow for expansion of the surrounding PCM stack material(s) that may result from the heating of the PCM stack.

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