US Patent 7888164 Programmable via structure and method of fabricating same

A method of fabricating a programmable via structure is provided. The method includes providing a patterned heating material on a surface of an oxide layer. The oxide layer is located above a semiconductor substrate. A patterned dielectric material is formed having a least one via on a surface of the patterned heating material. The at least one via is filled with a phase change material such that a lower surface of the phase change material is in direct contact with a portion of the patterned heating material. A patterned diffusion barrier is formed on an exposed surface of the at least one via filled with the phase change material. A method of programmable a programmable via structure made by the method is also disclosed.