US Patent 7750386 - Nanoporous mem-resistor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7750386.html

This patent from Seagate Technology teaches a variation of mem-resistor memory (i.e. RRAM) in which a nanoporous layer is used to reduce the magnitue or the switching current used to change resistance states. Claim 1 reads:

1. A memory cell comprising:

a first contact having a first surface and an opposing second surface;

a second contact having a first surface and an opposing second surface;

a memory material layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and

a nanoporous layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the nanoporous layer comprising at least one nanopore and dielectric material, the at least one nanopore being substantially filled with a conductive metal,

wherein the first surface of the nanoporous layer is in contact with a surface of the first contact or the second contact and the opposing second surface of the nanoporous layer is in contact with a surface of the memory material layer.