Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming a lower conductive structure over a substrate. A data storage structure is formed on the lower conductive structure. A bandgap of the data storage structure discretely increases or decreases at least two times from a top surface of the data storage structure in a direction towards the substrate. An upper conductive structure is formed on the data storage structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a memory device. The memory device includes a first electrode over a substrate and a second electrode over the substrate. A data storage structure is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The data storage structure includes one or more metals having non-zero concentrations that change as a distance from the substrate increases.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first amorphous switching structure disposed over a first electrode. A buffer structure is disposed over the first amorphous switching structure. A second amorphous switching structure is disposed over the buffer structure. A second electrode is disposed over the second amorphous switching structure, where the first and second amorphous switching structures are configured to switch between low resistance states and high resistance states depending on whether a voltage from the first electrode to the second electrode exceeds a threshold voltage.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory cell including a data storage structure. A top electrode overlies a bottom electrode. The data storage structure is disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The data storage structure includes a first data storage layer, a second data storage layer, and a third data storage layer. The second data storage layer is disposed between the first and third data storage layers. The second data storage layer has a lower bandgap than the third data storage layer. The first data storage layer has a lower bandgap than the second data storage layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device. In some embodiments, the RRAM device includes a first electrode disposed over a substrate and a second electrode over the first electrode. A doped data storage structure is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The doped data storage structure has a dopant with a doping concentration profile that is asymmetric over a height of the doped data storage structure and that has a maximum dopant concentration at non-zero distances from a top surface and a bottom surface of the doped data storage structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory device including a data storage structure overlying a substrate. A bottom electrode overlies the substrate and a top electrode overlies the bottom electrode. The data storage structure is disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The data storage structure comprises a dielectric material doped with a first dopant and a second dopant, where the first dopant is different from the second dopant.

Abstract: A method includes forming a bottom electrode layer, and depositing a first ferroelectric layer over the bottom electrode layer. The first ferroelectric layer is amorphous. A second ferroelectric layer is deposited over the first ferroelectric layer, and the second ferroelectric layer has a polycrystalline structure. The method further includes depositing a third ferroelectric layer over the second ferroelectric layer, with the third ferroelectric layer being amorphous, depositing a top electrode layer over the third ferroelectric layer, and patterning the top electrode layer, the third ferroelectric layer, the second ferroelectric layer, the first ferroelectric layer, and the bottom electrode layer to form a Ferroelectric Random Access Memory cell.

Abstract: A memory device includes a field effect transistor and a variable-capacitance capacitor. A gate structure includes a gate dielectric and an intermediate electrode. The variable-capacitance capacitor includes a lower capacitor plate comprising the intermediate electrode, an upper capacitor plate comprising a control gate electrode, and a variable-capacitance node dielectric and including an electrical-field-programmable metal oxide material. The electrical-field-programmable metal oxide material provides a variable effective dielectric constant, and a data bit may be stored as a dielectric state of the variable-capacitance node dielectric in the memory device. The variable-capacitance node dielectric provides reversible electrical field-dependent resistivity modulation, or reversible electrical field-dependent movement of metal atoms therein.

Abstract: An image sensor device is disclosed. The image sensor device includes: a substrate having a front surface and a back surface; a radiation-sensing region formed in the substrate; an opening extending from the back surface of the substrate into the substrate; a first metal oxide film including a first metal, the first metal oxide film being formed on an interior surface of the opening; and a second metal oxide film including a second metal, the second metal oxide film being formed over the first metal oxide film; wherein the electronegativity of the first metal is greater than the electronegativity of the second metal. An associated fabricating method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device. In some embodiments, the method may be performed by forming a first electrode structure over a substrate. A doped data storage element is formed over the first electrode structure. The doped data storage element is formed by forming a first data storage layer over the first electrode structure and forming a second data storage layer over the first data storage layer. The first data storage layer is formed to have a first doping concentration of a dopant and the second data storage layer is formed to have a second doping concentration of the dopant that is less than the first doping concentration. A second electrode structure is formed over the doped data storage element.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory cell including a data storage structure disposed between a top electrode and a bottom electrode. The data storage structure includes a lower switching layer overlying the bottom electrode, and an upper switching layer overlying the lower switching layer. The lower switching layer comprises a dielectric material doped with a first dopant.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a process tool which includes a housing that defines a vacuum chamber. A wafer chuck is in the housing, and a carrier wafer is on the wafer chuck. A structure that is used for deposition processes is arranged at a top of the housing. A camera is integrated on the wafer chuck such that the camera faces a top of the housing. The camera is configured to wirelessly capture images of the structure used for deposition processes within the housing. Outside of the housing is a wireless receiver. The wireless receiver is configured to receive the images from the camera while the vacuum chamber is sealed.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes following operations. A first conductive layer is formed. A first dielectric layer is formed over the first conductive layer, and the first dielectric layer includes at least one trench exposing the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is formed in the trench. A third conductive layer is formed in the trench, and a resistivity of the third conductive layer is greater than a resistivity of the second conductive layer. A second dielectric layer is formed over the third conductive layer. A phase change material is formed over the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A capacitive device includes: a first metal plate; a first planar dielectric layer disposed on the first metal plate; a second planar dielectric layer disposed on the first planar dielectric layer; a third planar dielectric layer disposed on the second planar dielectric layer; and a second metal plate disposed on the third planar dielectric layer; wherein the first planar dielectric layer has a first dielectric constant, the second planar dielectric layer has a second dielectric constant, and the third planar dielectric layer has a third dielectric constant, and the second dielectric constant is different from the first dielectric constant and the third dielectric constant, the second planar dielectric layer includes Tantalum pentoxide.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a bottom electrode overlying a substrate. A data storage layer overlies the bottom electrode. A top electrode overlies the data storage layer. A conductive bridge is selectively formable within the data storage layer to couple the bottom electrode to the top electrode. A diffusion barrier layer is disposed between the data storage layer and the top electrode.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor includes and image sensor element disposed within a substrate. The substrate comprises a first material. The image sensor element includes an active layer comprising a second material different from the first material. A buffer layer is disposed between the active layer and the substrate. The buffer layer extends along outer sidewalls and a bottom surface of the active layer. A capping structure overlies the active layer. Outer sidewalls of the active layer are spaced laterally between outer sidewalls of the capping structure such that the capping structure continuously extends over outer edges of the active layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a data storage element over the semiconductor substrate. The structure also includes an ion diffusion barrier element over the data storage element and a protective element extending along a sidewall of the ion diffusion barrier element. A bottom surface of the protective element is between a top surface of the data storage element and a bottom surface of the data storage element. The structure further includes a first electrode electrically connected to the data storage element and a second electrode electrically connected to the data storage element.

Abstract: An image sensor device is disclosed. The image sensor device includes: a substrate having a front surface and a back surface; a radiation-sensing region formed in the substrate; an opening extending from the back surface of the substrate into the substrate; a first metal oxide film including a first metal, the first metal oxide film being formed on an interior surface of the opening; and a second metal oxide film including a second metal, the second metal oxide film being formed over the first metal oxide film; wherein the electronegativity of the first metal is greater than the electronegativity of the second metal. An associated fabricating method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a trench capacitor with a conductive cap structure. In some embodiments, the trench capacitor comprises a lower capacitor electrode, a capacitor dielectric layer overlying the lower capacitor electrode, and an upper capacitor electrode overlying the capacitor dielectric layer. The capacitor dielectric layer and the upper capacitor electrode are depressed into the substrate and define a gap sunken into the substrate. The conductive cap structure overlies and seals the gap on the upper capacitor electrode. In some embodiments, the conductive cap structure comprises a metal layer formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and further comprises a metal nitride layer formed overlying the metal layer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In other embodiments, the conductive cap structure is or comprises other suitable materials and/or is formed by other deposition processes.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a memory device. The memory device includes a bottom electrode disposed over a lower interconnect within a lower inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer over a substrate. A data storage structure is over the bottom electrode. A first top electrode layer is disposed over the data storage structure, and a second top electrode layer is on the first top electrode layer. The second top electrode layer is less susceptible to oxidation than the first top electrode layer. A top electrode via is over and electrically coupled to the second top electrode layer.