Abstract: A method for forming a floating gate semiconductor device such as an electrically erasable programmable read only memory is provided. The device includes a silicon substrate having an electrically isolated active area. A gate oxide, as well as other components of a FET (e.g., source, drain) are formed in the active area. A self aligned floating gate is formed by depositing a conductive layer (e.g., polysilicon) into the recess and over the gate oxide. The conductive layer is then chemically mechanically planarized to an endpoint of the isolation layer so that all of the conductive layer except material in the recess and on the gate oxide is removed. Following formation of the floating gate an insulating layer is formed on the floating gate and a control gate is formed on the insulating layer.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a memory and a method to manufacture the memory is provided. The memory may include a phase change material over a substrate. The memory may further include a switching material coupled to the phase change material, wherein the switching material comprises a chalcogen other than oxygen and wherein the switching material and the phase change material form portions of a vertical structure over the substrate.

Abstract: A memory may be implemented with a stable chalcogenide glass which is defined as a generally amorphous chalcogenide material that does not change to a generally crystalline phase when exposed to 200° C. for 30 minutes or less. Different states may be programmed by changing the threshold voltage of the material. The threshold voltage may be changed with pulses of different amplitude and/or different pulse fall times. Reading may be done using a reference level between the threshold voltages of the two different states. A separate access device is generally not needed.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification device includes an integrated circuit including a receiver, a transmitter, and a microprocessor. The receiver and transmitter together define an active transponder. The integrated circuit is preferably a monolithic single die integrated circuit including the receiver, the transmitter, and the microprocessor. Because the device includes an active transponder, instead of a transponder which relies on magnetic coupling for power, the device has a much greater range.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory element comprising a bottom electrode 12, a top electrode 17 provided on the bottom electrode 12, and a recording layer 18 containing phase change material connected between the bottom electrode 12 and the top electrode 17. In accordance with this invention, the top electrode 17 is in contact with a growth initiation surface 18a of the recording layer 17. This structure can be obtained by forming the top electrode 17 before the recording layer 18, resulting in a three-dimensional structure. This decreases heat dissipation to the bit line without increasing the thickness of the recording layer 18.

Abstract: A carbon containing layer may be formed between a pair of chalcogenide containing layers of a phase change memory. When the lower chalcogenide layer allows current to pass, a filament may be formed therein. The filament then localizes the electrical heating of the carbon containing layer, converting a relatively localized region to a lower conductivity region. This region then causes the localization of heating and current flow through the upper phase change material layer. In some embodiments, less phase change material may be required to change phase to form a phase change memory, reducing the current requirements of the resulting phase change memory.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a memory and a method to manufacture the memory is provided. The memory may include a phase change material over a substrate. The memory may further include a switching material coupled to the phase change material, wherein the switching material comprises a chalcogen other than oxygen and wherein the switching material and the phase change material form portions of a vertical structure over the substrate.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a memory and a method to manufacture the memory is provided. The memory may include a phase change material over a substrate. The memory may further include a switching material coupled to the phase change material, wherein the switching material comprises a chalcogen other than oxygen and wherein the switching material and the phase change material form portions of a vertical structure over the substrate.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory element includes a first interlayer insulation layer 11 having a first through-hole 11a, a second interlayer insulation layer 12 having a second through-hole 12a formed on the first interlayer insulation layer 11, a bottom electrode 13 provided in the first through-hole 11, recording layer 15 containing phase change material provided in the second through-hole 12, a top electrode 16 provided on the second interlayer insulation layer 12, and a thin-film insulation layer 14 formed between the bottom electrode 13 and the recording layer 15. In accordance with this invention, the diameter D1 of a bottom electrode 13 buried in a first through-hole 11a is smaller than the diameter D2 of a second through-hole 12a, thereby decreasing the thermal capacity of the bottom electrode 13.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of making a vertical diode structure are provided. The vertical diode structure may have associated therewith a diode opening extending through an insulation layer and contacting an active region on a silicon wafer. A titanium silicide layer may be formed over the interior surface of the diode opening and contacting the active region. The diode opening may initially be filled with an amorphous silicon plug that is doped during deposition and subsequently recrystallized to form large grain polysilicon. The silicon plug has a top portion that may be heavily doped with a first type dopant and a bottom portion that may be lightly doped with a second type dopant. The top portion may be bounded by the bottom portion so as not to contact the titanium silicide layer. In one embodiment of the vertical diode structure, a programmable resistor contacts the top portion of the silicon plug and a metal line contacts the programmable resistor.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device having polycrystalline silicon diode isolation elements for phase change memory cells and method for fabricating the same. The memory device includes a plurality of stacked memory cells to form a three-dimensional memory array. The polycrystalline silicon diode element selects the phase change memory cell. The memory device is fabricated by forming a plurality of phase change memory cells and diode isolation elements on a base layer. Additional layers of memory cells and isolation elements are formed over the initial layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of making a vertical diode structure are provided. The vertical diode structure may have associated therewith a diode opening extending through an insulation layer and contacting an active region on a silicon wafer. A titanium silicide layer may be formed over the interior surface of the diode opening and contacting the active region. The diode opening may initially be filled with an amorphous silicon plug that is doped during deposition and subsequently recrystallized to form large grain polysilicon. The silicon plug has a top portion that may be heavily doped with a first type dopant and a bottom portion that may be lightly doped with a second type dopant. The top portion may be bounded by the bottom portion so as not to contact the titanium silicide layer. In one embodiment of the vertical diode structure, a programmable resistor contacts the top portion of the silicon plug and a metal line contacts the programmable resistor.

Abstract: A method of electrically linking contacts of a semiconductor device to their corresponding digit lines. The method includes disposing a quantity of mask material into a trench through which the contact is exposed. The mask also abuts a connect region of a conductive element of a corresponding digit line and, therefore, protrudes somewhat over a surface of the semiconductor device. A layer of insulative material is disposed over the semiconductor device with the mask material being exposed therethrough. The mask material is then removed, leaving open cavities that include the trench and a strap region continuous with the trench and with a connect region of the corresponding digit line. Conductive material is disposed within the cavity and electrically isolated from conductive material disposed in adjacent cavities, which define conductive plugs or studs and conductive straps from the conductive material.

Abstract: To identify an RFID tag in a field of RFID tags, an interrogator sends a series of commands to implement an arbitration scheme. The commands include differentiation, selection, and modulation information. The tag uses the differentiation information to differentiate commands sent by the interrogator from commands sent by other interrogators that may be within communication range of the tag. The selection information is used by the tag to determine if the tag is a member of a group selected by the interrogator for response to the interrogator. If the tag is a member of the selected group, the tag may send a reply that is modulated using a modulation type selected by the modulation information. In accordance with one of the modulation types, one of three different pulse waveforms is selected by the interrogator via the modulation information to multiply with the baseband waveform of the reply from the tag.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory element includes a bottom electrode 12, a bit line 14 provided on the bottom electrode 12, and a recording layer 15 containing phase change material connected between the bottom electrode 12 and the bit line 14. In accordance with this invention, the bit line 14 is in contact with a growth initiation surface 15a of the recording layer 15. This structure can be obtained by forming the bit line 14 before the recording layer 15, resulting in a three-dimensional structure. This decreases the area of contact between the recording layer 15 and the bit line 14, decreasing heat dissipation to the bit line 14 without increasing the thickness of the recording layer 15. With this three-dimensional structure, moreover, there is no top electrode between the bit line 14 and the recording layer 15, keeping down the complexity of the fabrication process.

Abstract: A memory may be implemented with a stable chalcogenide glass which is defined as a generally amorphous chalcogenide material that does not change to a generally crystalline phase when exposed to 200° C. for 30 minutes or less. Different states may be programmed by changing the threshold voltage of the material. The threshold voltage may be changed with pulses of different amplitude and/or different pulse fall times. Reading may be done using a reference level between the threshold voltages of the two different states. A separate access device is generally not needed.

Abstract: A static random access memory may be formed using a bitline and a bitline bar coupled to ovonic threshold switches. The ovonic threshold switches may, in turn, be coupled to cross coupled NMOS transistors. In some embodiments, a very compact static random access memory may result.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification device includes an integrated circuit including a receiver, a transmitter, and a microprocessor. The receiver and transmitter together define an active transponder. The integrated circuit is preferably a monolithic single die integrated circuit including the receiver, the transmitter, and the microprocessor. Because the device includes an active transponder, instead of a transponder which relies on magnetic coupling for power, the device has a much greater range.

Abstract: A memory may be implemented with a stable chalcogenide glass which is defined as a generally amorphous chalcogenide material that does not change to a generally crystalline phase when exposed to 200° C. for 30 minutes or less. Different states may be programmed by changing the threshold voltage of the material. The threshold voltage may be changed with pulses of different amplitude and/or different pulse fall times. Reading may be done using a reference level between the threshold voltages of the two different states. A separate access device is generally not needed.

Abstract: An elevated phase-change memory cell facilitates manufacture of phase-change memories by physically separating the fabrication of the phase-change memory components from the rest of the semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a contact in the substrate may be electrically coupled to a cup-shaped conductor filled with an insulator. The conductor couples current up to the elevated pore while the insulator thermally and electrically isolates the pore.