摘要:
Disclosed herein is a novel thin-film structure for solid state thin-film electrical switching devices fabricated of chalcogenide material that overcomes a number of design weaknesses existing in the prior art. The novel structure of the instant invention employs a thin layer of insulating material beneath the body of chalcogenide material so as to carefully define the filament location. Since the filament location has been fixed, switching, due to edge conduction pathways has been substantially eliminated. At the same time, the use of a thin insulating layer precludes step coverage faults of the prior art. The requirement for the thin layer of insulator material to withstand the switching voltage is addressed through the use of a second thicker layer of insulator material which is deposited only after the chalcogenide material has been formed. This improved structure demonstrates the advantages of higher fabrication yields and more repeatable electrical switching characteristics.
摘要:
A memory element comprising a volume of phase change memory material; and first and second contact for supplying an electrical signal to the memory material, wherein the first contact comprises a conductive sidewall spacer. Alternately, the first contact may comprise a contact layer having an edge adjacent to the memory material.
摘要:
The first fire voltage of chalcogenide-based switching devices is lowered to a value approximately equal to the threshold voltage by treatment of the chalcogenide material with fluorine either during or after deposition.
摘要:
A method of making an electrically programmable memory element, comprising: providing a first dielectric layer; forming a conductive material over the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer over the conductive material; and forming a programmable resistance material in electrical contact with a peripheral surface of the conductive material.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for plasma deposition of thin film photovoltaic materials at microwave frequencies. The apparatus avoids deposition on windows that couple microwave energy to deposition species. The apparatus includes a microwave applicator with one or more conduits that carry deposition species. The applicator transfers microwave energy to the deposition species to energize them to a reactive state. The conduits physically isolate deposition species that would react or otherwise combine to form a thin film material at the point of microwave power transfer and deliver the microwave-excited species to a deposition chamber. Supplemental material streams may be delivered to the deposition chamber without passing through the microwave applicator and may combine with deposition species exiting the conduits to form a thin film material. Precursors for the microwave-excited deposition species include fluorinated forms of silicon. Precursors for supplemental material streams include hydrogenated forms of silicon.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for plasma deposition of thin film photovoltaic materials at microwave frequencies. The apparatus inhibits deposition on windows or other microwave transmission elements that couple microwave energy to deposition species. The apparatus includes a microwave applicator with conduits passing therethrough that carry deposition species. The applicator transfers microwave energy to the deposition species to transform them to a reactive state conducive to formation of a thin film material. The conduits physically isolate deposition species that would react to form a thin film material at the point of microwave power transfer. The deposition species are separately energized and swept away from the point of power transfer to prevent thin film deposition. The invention allows for the ultrafast formation of silicon-containing amorphous semiconductors that exhibit high mobility, low porosity, little or no Staebler-Wronski degradation, and low defect concentration.
摘要:
A method and device for accomplishing transformation of a switching material from a resistive state to a conductive state. The method utilizes a non-electrical source of energy to effect the switching transformation. The switching material may be a chalcogenide switching material, where the non-electrical source of energy initiates switching by liberating lone pair electrons from bound states of chalcogen atoms. The liberated lone pair electrons form a conductive filament having the characteristics of a solid state plasma to permit high current densities to pass through the switching material. The device includes a switching material with electrical contacts and may be interconnected with other elements in a circuit to regulate electrical communication therebetween.
摘要:
A photovoltaic device including a current collection element and a method of making same. The photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a conductive layer, an active photovoltaic material, a transparent electrode and a current collection element. The current collection element includes a transparent support and one or more conductive wires integrated therewith. The conductive wires are in electrical communication with the transparent electrode. Current generated by the active photovoltaic material passes to the transparent electrode. The current collection element facilitates delivery of current passing through the transparent electrode to leads that deliver the current to an external load. The method includes placing a pre-fabricated current collection element in direct contact with the transparent electrode of the photovoltaic device. The time and expense of assembling the conductive wires during fabrication of the photovoltaic device is thereby avoided and higher manufacturing speeds are achieved.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for plasma deposition of thin film photovoltaic materials at microwave frequencies. The apparatus avoids deposition on windows or other microwave transmission elements that couple microwave energy to deposition species. The apparatus includes a microwave applicator with conduits passing therethrough that carry deposition species. The applicator transfers microwave energy to the deposition species to transform them to a reactive state conducive to formation of a thin film material. The conduits physically isolate deposition species that would react to form a thin film material at the point of microwave power transfer. The deposition species are separately energized and swept away from the point of power transfer to prevent thin film deposition. The invention allows for the ultrafast formation of silicon-containing amorphous semiconductors that exhibit high mobility, low porosity, little or no Staebler-Wronski degradation, and low defect concentration.
摘要:
A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for preparing electrical and optical chalcogenide materials. In a preferred embodiment, the instant CVD-deposited materials exhibit one or more of the following properties: electrical switching, accumulation, setting, reversible multistate behavior, resetting, cognitive functionality, and reversible amorphous-crystalline transformations. In one embodiment, a multilayer structure, including at least one layer containing a chalcogen element, is deposited by CVD and subjected to post-deposition application of energy to produce a chalcogenide material having properties in accordance with the instant invention. In another embodiment, a single layer chalcogenide material having properties in accordance with the instant invention is formed from a CVD deposition process including three or more deposition precursors, at least one of which is a chalcogen element precursor. Preferred materials are those that include the chalcogen Te along with Ge and/or Sb.