IPEL-a novel ion-implanted electrically programmable element

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.<<ETX>>

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