Process for manufacturing a copper compatible chalcogenide phase change memory element and corresponding phase change memory element

摘要

A copper diffusion plug 21 is provided within a pore in dielectric layer (18, 20, 28, 30) over a copper signal line (16). By positioning the plug (21) below a chalcogenide region (36), the plug is effective to block copper diffusion upwardly into the pore and into the chalcogenide region and thus to avoid adversely affecting the electrical characteristics of the chalcogenide region.