US Patent 7776682 - Copper nanotube memory cell

http://ip.com/patent/US7776682

This patent from Spansion teaches a fabrication method for a new type of memory cell which uses porous templates to form copper nanotubes to facilitate ionic memory storage. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of forming a memory cell, comprising:

forming a first electrode over a semiconductor substrate;

forming a passive layer over the first electrode, the passive layer comprising copper sulfide;

forming an electrically non-conducting material layer with ordered porosity over the passive layer;

forming an active material inside the ordered porosity of the electrically non-conducting material layer;

forming copper nanotubes in the ordered porosity of the electrically non-conducting material layer; and

forming a second electrode over to the active material.

US Patent 7309650 - Nanocrystal charge storage layer

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7309650.html

This patent teaches a method of preventing oxidation of nanocrystals in a nanocrystal memory device by using a porous dielectric layer in which the material forming the nanoparticles is diffused. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for manufacturing a memory device, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a first layer of dielectric material on the substrate; forming a porous dielectric layer on the first layer of dielectric material; diffusing an electrically conductive material into the porous dielectric layer to form a nanocrystal charge storage region; and forming a second layer of dielectric material on the porous dielectric layer.