US Patent 8088643 - Memresistor with nanoparticle assisted filament formation

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8088643.html

Since the late 1990's Micron Technology has been experimenting with new types of non-volatile memory based on ionic chalcogenide materials. This latest patent teaches how nanoparticles can be used to assist in filament electroformation of these memories. Claim 1 reads:
1. A method of forming a memory device, comprising:

providing a first electrode;

providing a nanoparticle over said first electrode;

providing a chalcogenide glass over and surrounding the nanoparticle except where the nanoparticle is in contact with said first electrode; and

providing a second electrode over said chalcogenide glass.