ELECTRICALLY ERASABLE, DIRECTLY OVERWRITABLE, MULTIBIT SINGLE CELL MEMORY ELEMENTS AND ARRAYS FABRICATED THEREFROM

摘要

The present invention comprises an electrically operated, directly overwritable, multibit, single-cell memory element. The memory element includes a volume of memory material (36) which defines the single cell memory element, a pair of spacedly disposed contacts (32, 34, 38, 40) for supply electrical input signals to set the memory material to a selected resistance value within a dynamic range, a filamentary portion controlling means disposed between the volume of memory material and at least one of the spacedly disposed contacts. The controlling means defining the size and the position of the filamentary portion during electrical formation of the memory element and limiting the size and confining the location of the filamentary portion during use of the memory element, thereby proving for a high current density within the filamentary portion of the single cell memory element upon input of a very low total current electrical signal to the spacedly disposed contacts.