PHASE CHANGE RAM AND ITS OPERATING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a phase change RAM capable of preventing set resistance from increasing by decreasing resetting current, and its operating method. SOLUTION: The phase change RAM is provided with a switching element; a lower electrode (52) coupled with the switching element; and a lower electrode contact layer (58) formed on the electrode (52); a phase change layer (60) which is provided on the lower electrode contact layer and part of the region of the bottom of which contacts an upper surface of the layer (58); and an upper electrode (62) formed on the layer (60). The layer (58) is a substance layer that has a Seebeck coefficient of bigger absolute value than that of TiAlN and being a negative number, a lower thermal conductivity than that of TiAlN, and the same-level electric resistance value as in the TiAlN. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT