Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chao-Yang Chen

Kuo-Ching Huang

Chun-Yang Tsai

Cheng-Jun Wu

Wen-Ting Chu

Pili Huang

Kuo-Chi Tu

Mickey Hsieh

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory cell comprising a high electron affinity dielectric layer at a bottom electrode. The high electron affinity dielectric layer is one of multiple different dielectric layers vertically stacked between the bottom electrode and a top electrode overlying the bottom electrode. Further, the high electrode electron affinity dielectric layer has a highest electron affinity amongst the multiple different dielectric layers and is closest to the bottom electrode. The different dielectric layers are different in terms of material systems and/or material compositions. It has been appreciated that by arranging the high electron affinity dielectric layer closest to the bottom electrode, the likelihood of the memory cell becoming stuck during cycling is reduced at least when the memory cell is RRAM. Hence, the likelihood of a hard reset/failure bit is reduced.

High electron affinity dielectric layer to improve cycling

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes one or more lower interconnects arranged within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A bottom electrode is disposed over one of the one or more lower interconnects. The bottom electrode includes a first material having a first electronegativity. A data storage layer separates the bottom electrode from a top electrode. The bottom electrode is between the data storage layer and the substrate. A reactivity reducing layer includes a second material and has a second electronegativity that is greater than or equal to the first electronegativity. The second material contacts a lower surface of the bottom electrode that faces the substrate.

Bottom electrode structure in memory device

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a ferroelectric memory device. The ferroelectric memory device includes a pair of source/drain regions disposed in a semiconductor substrate. A gate dielectric is disposed over the semiconductor substrate and between the source/drain regions. A first conductive structure is disposed on the gate dielectric. A ferroelectric structure is disposed on the first conductive structure. A second conductive structure is disposed on the ferroelectric structure, where both the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure have an overall electronegativity that is greater than or equal to an overall electronegativity of the ferroelectric structure.

Wakeup-free ferroelectric memory device

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method, comprising the performing of a reset operation to a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell. A first voltage bias having a first polarity is applied to the RRAM cell. An absolute value of the first voltage bias is greater than an absolute value of a first reset voltage. The application of the first voltage bias induces the RRAM cell to change from a low resistance to an intermediate resistance greater than the low resistance. A second voltage bias having a second polarity oppose to the first polarity is then applied to the RRAM cell. An absolute value of the second reset voltage is less than an absolute value of the second voltage bias and less than the absolute value of the first reset voltage. The application of the second voltage bias induces the RRAM cell to have a high resistance.

Multi-step reset technique to enlarge memory window

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes one or more lower interconnect layers arranged within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A bottom electrode is disposed over one of the one or more lower interconnect layers. A lower surface of the bottom electrode includes a material having a first electronegativity. A data storage layer separates the bottom electrode from a top electrode. A reactivity reducing layer contacts the lower surface of the bottom electrode. The reactivity reducing layer has a second electronegativity that is greater than or equal to the first electronegativity.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of operation a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell, comprising the performing of a reset operation to the RRAM cell. A first voltage bias is applied to the RRAM cell. The first voltage bias has a first polarity. The application of the first voltage bias induces the RRAM cell to change from a low resistance to an intermediate resistance. The intermediate resistance is greater than the low resistance. A second voltage bias is then applied to the RRAM cell. The second voltage bias has a second polarity that is opposite to the first polarity. The application of the second voltage bias induces the RRAM cell to have a high resistance. The high resistance is greater than the intermediate resistance.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chao-Yang Chen