IPEL-a novel ion-implanted electrically programmable element

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 180 - 182
• Main Authors: Shacham-Diamand, Y., Sinar, A., Sirkin, E., Blech, I., Gerzberg, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-05-1989; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Amorphous materials; Applied sciences; Conductivity; Contact resistance; Crystallization; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Implants; Integrated circuits; Integrated circuits by function (including memories and processors); Ion implantation; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon; Substrates; Temperature dependence; Voltage; REPROM memory; Memory; Contact resistance; Silicon; MOS transistor; Amorphous state; Experimental study; Semiconductor storage; Electrical characteristic
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/55.31713

The programmable element consists of a metal/amorphous-silicon/crystalline-silicon structure in which the amorphous-silicon layer is created by high-dose ion implantation. Amorphization by the damage caused by the collisions of the energetic ions with the substrate increases resistivity of a normal contact to single-crystal silicon by many orders of magnitude. The specific resistance of a typical aluminum contact to heavily doped n-type silicon increases from 10/sup -6/-10/sup -5/ to 1-10 Omega -cm/sup 2/ at room temperature. Applying a sufficiently high voltage induces an irreversible transformation of the device into a low-resistance state. The postprogramming resistance can be as low as 100 Omega for a 3*3- mu m/sup 2/ contact at room temperature.< >