公开(公告)号：EP4187540A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-31

申请号：EP22209608.3

申请日：2022-11-25

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： PETRONI, Elisa ,  REDAELLI, Andrea

IPC: G11C13/00 ,  H10N70/00 ,  H10N70/20

Abstract: A phase change memory element (10, 10'; 10") has a memory region (12), a first electrode (13) and a second electrode (14). The memory region (12) is arranged between the first and the second electrodes (13, 14) and have a bulk zone (12B) and an active zone (12A). The memory region (12) is a germanium, antimony and tellurium based alloy, wherein germanium is in a higher percentage than antimony and tellurium in the bulk zone (12B) of the memory region (12). The active zone (12A) is configured to switch between a first stable state associated to a first memory logic level and a second stable state associated to a second memory logic level. The active zone (12A) has, in the first stable state, a uniform, amorphous structure and, in the second stable state, a differential polycrystalline structure including a first portion (31), having a first stoichiometry, and a second portion (32), having a second stoichiometry, different from the first stoichiometry.