Transparent resistive random access memory cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9482920-B2
Application number	US-201414504980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2014
Priority date	Oct 2, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Provided are resistive switching cells and methods of using such cells for controlling operation of liquid crystal display (LCD) cells in LCD devices. A resistive switching cell has two electrodes formed from transparent conductive oxides, such as indium oxide, indium tin oxide, or zinc oxide. One electrode may be connected to a LCD cell thereby forming an in series connection between the resistive switching cell and LCD cell. The other electrode may be used to power the LCD cell through the resistive switching cell. The resistive switching cell also includes a resistive switching layer disposed between the two electrodes. When the resistive switching layer is in its low resistive state, the LCD cell is subjected to an operating potential and produces light. However, when the resistive switching layer is in its high resistive state, the LCD cell is not subjected to the operating potential and does not produce light.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An assembly comprising:
a substrate;
a liquid crystal display cell disposed over the substrate; and
a resistive switching cell comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer,
wherein the first layer is disposed over the liquid crystal cell,
wherein the second layer is disposed over the first layer such that the first layer is disposed between the second layer and the substrate; and
wherein the third layer is disposed over the second layer such that the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer,
wherein the first layer and the third layer are operable as electrodes,
wherein the first layer comprises a first transparent conductive oxide,
wherein the third layer comprises a second transparent conductive oxide,
wherein the second layer is operable to switch between at least two different resistive states,
wherein the liquid crystal display set is connected in series with the resistive switching cell, and
wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer form a stack disposed over an illuminating surface of the liquid crystal display cell such that the liquid crystal display cell is disposed between the stack and the substrate.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein optical transmittance of the resistive switching cell is at least about 80% within the visible spectrum.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises one of hafnium oxide, hafnium oxynitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium oxynitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum oxynitride, titanium oxide, titanium oxynitride, tantalum oxide, or tantalum oxynitride.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises hafnium oxide.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the hafnium oxide of the second layer is non-stoichiometric hafnium oxide.

6. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second layer further comprises silicon oxide, wherein the silicon oxide forms a first sub-layer of the second layer, and wherein the hafnium oxide forms a second sub-layer of the second layer directly interfacing the first sub-layer.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second layer has a thickness of less than 30 Angstroms.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first transparent conductive oxide or the second transparent conductive oxide comprises one of indium oxide, indium tin oxide, or zinc oxide.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first transparent conductive oxide or the second transparent conductive oxide comprises zinc oxide doped with aluminum.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth layer disposed between the second layer and one of the first layer or the third layer;
wherein the fourth layer is operable to maintain a substantially constant resistance when the second layer switches between the at least two different resistive states; and
wherein the fourth layer has a thickness of less than 50 Angstroms.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the fourth layer comprises one of silicon nitride.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the fourth layer comprises tantalum silicon nitride.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein operation of the liquid crystal display cell is based on the at least two different resistive states of the second layer.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal display cell at least partially extend under the first layer and the second layer.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the liquid crystal display cell directly interfaces the first layer.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second layer directly interfaces the first layer.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode.

18. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are connected to a driver circuit.

19. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal display is disposed between the substrate and the stack comprising the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer.

20. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a light guide.

Assignees

• Intermolecular Inc

Inventors

• Wang Yun

Classifications

• H01L45/1253

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/1233

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/146

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/145

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/08

  Electricity · mapped topic