Semiconductor Manufacturing International, and Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology Assigned Patent

Semiconductor Manufacturing International, (Shanghai) Corporation, Shanghai, China, and Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China, has been assigned a patent (9,209,387) developed by Li, Ying, Shanghai, China, for a “phase change memory and fabrication method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A phase change memory and its fabrication method are provided. A bottom electrode structure is provided through a substrate. A mask layer is formed on the substrate and the bottom electrode structure. A first opening is formed in the mask layer to expose the bottom electrode structure. A spacer is formed on sidewalls and bottom surface portions of the first opening to expose a surface portion of the bottom electrode structure. The first opening including the spacer therein has a bottom width less than a top width. A heating layer is formed at least on the surface portion of the bottom electrode structure exposed by the spacer. A phase change layer is formed on the heating layer to completely fill the first opening. A top electrode is formed on the phase change layer and the mask layer.“

The patent application was filed on September 23, 2014 (14/494,321).