Mechanical interconnect memory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023253061-A1
Application number	US-202217951544-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Feb 4, 2022
Publication date	Aug 10, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mechanical interconnect memory, and more particularly, to a mechanical interconnect memory applicable to smart interconnect technology that reduces the power consumption of an interconnect layer.A mechanical interconnect memory according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: an upper electrode including: a spring part having at least one upward protruding portion between both ends of the spring part; and a moving part having one end of the moving part fixed to the at least one upward protruding portion of the spring part and the other end of the moving part being a free end of the moving part that is capable of moving up and down; and a lower electrode at least partially disposed under the moving part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mechanical interconnect memory comprising:
an upper electrode including: a spring part having at least one upward protruding portion between both ends of the spring part; and a moving part having one end of the moving part fixed to the at least one upward protruding portion of the spring part and the other end of the moving part being a free end of the moving part that is capable of moving up and down; and a lower electrode at least partially disposed under the moving part.

2 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein the other end of the moving part and the lower electrode are maintained in an adhered state after the other end of the moving part is in contact with the lower electrode by an electrostatic driving method based on a potential difference between the moving part of the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and
a part of the spring part is thermally expanded upward by a current flowing into the spring part of the upper electrode, and thereby the other end of the moving part is separated from the lower electrode.

3 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein a part of the spring part has at least one bent portion or has an upward convex arc shape.

4 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein the spring part generally has an upward convex arc shape or an upwardly pointed triangular shape.

5 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein the spring part includes a plurality of spring units arranged side by side in parallel, and
the upper electrode further includes a connection part for connecting the plurality of spring units to each other.

6 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein the moving part has a step part in at least one portion of the moving part, and the step part is a part stepped down by a predetermined length from a part between both ends of the moving part.

7 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 1 , wherein the moving part includes a plurality of moving units extending in plurality from a part of the spring part, the length of the plurality of moving units is different from each other, and the moving part further includes a control electrode disposed under the plurality of moving units and disposed between the spring part and the lower electrode.

8 . The mechanical interconnect memory of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of moving units sequentially contacts the lower electrode as a voltage applied to the control electrode increases.

9 . A computing system comprising:
a mechanical interconnect memory arranged in plurality on one or more of BEOL (Back-End-Of-Line) layers; and an insulating layer disposed on the remaining region except around the mechanical interconnect memory, wherein the mechanical interconnect memory comprises: an upper electrode including: a spring part having at least one upward protruding portion between both ends of the spring part; and a moving part having one end of the moving part fixed to the at least one upward protruding portion of the spring part and the other end of the moving part being a free end of the moving part that is capable of moving up and down; and a lower electrode at least partially disposed under the moving part.

10 . The computing system of claim 9 , w % herein the other end of the moving part and the lower electrode are maintained in an adhered state after the other end of the moving part is in contact with the lower electrode by an electrostatic driving method based on a potential difference between the moving part of the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and
a part of the spring part is thermally expanded upward by a current flowing into the spring part of the upper electrode, and thereby the other end of the moving part is separated from the lower electrode.

11 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein a part of the spring part has at least one bent portion or has an upward convex arc shape.

12 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the spring part generally has an upward convex arc shape or an upwardly pointed triangular shape.

13 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the spring part includes a plurality of spring units arranged side by side in parallel, and
the upper electrode further includes a connection part for connecting the plurality of spring units to each other.

14 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the moving part has a step part in at least one portion of the moving part, and the step part is a part stepped down by a predetermined length from a part between both ends of the moving part.

15 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the moving part includes a plurality of moving units extending in plurality from a part of the spring part, the length of the plurality of moving units is different from each other, and the moving part further includes a control electrode disposed under the plurality of moving units and disposed between the spring part and the lower electrode.

16 . The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of moving units sequentially contacts the lower electrode as a voltage applied to the control electrode increases.

Assignees

• Korea Advanced Inst Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Yoon Jun-Bo
• Lee Yong-Bok
• Choi Pan-Kyu
• Kim Su-Hyun
• Kim Tae-Soo

Classifications

• H10B20/30 Primary

  having the source region and the drain region on the same level, e.g. lateral transistors · CPC title

• H10B20/60

  Peripheral circuit regions · CPC title

• H10B20/36

  Gate programmed, e.g. different gate material or no gate · CPC title

• G11C23/00 Primary

  Digital stores characterised by movement of mechanical parts to effect storage, e.g. using balls; Storage elements therefor · CPC title

• G11C7/005

  with combined beam-and individual cell access · CPC title