1. A system for detecting an end of a stroke or a beginning of the stroke, the system comprising:
a compartment having a body defining an interior wherein the body has an interior surface and a length defined between a first end and a second end of the compartment wherein the compartment has a movable element within the interior of the compartment wherein the movable element moves within the interior of the compartment between a first position and a second position wherein the second position is adjacent to the first end of the compartment;
a tube connected to the interior surface wherein the tube is located at the first end of the compartment and further wherein the movable element has a capacitance value and the tube has a capacitance value wherein the capacitance value of the tube is different than the capacitance value of the movable element;
an electrical circuit connected to the tube wherein the electrical circuit has a total capacitance value wherein the total capacitance value of the electrical circuit is based on the capacitance value of the tube if the movable element is not in contact with the tube and further wherein the total capacitance value of the electrical circuit is based on the capacitance value of the tube and the capacitance value of the movable element if the movable element is in contact with the tube wherein the movable element is moved to the second position within the interior of the compartment wherein contact of the movable element with the tube connects the movable element to the electrical circuit wherein contact of the movable element with the tube changes the total capacitance value of the electrical circuit;
a first detector connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the first detector determines an intensity of light emitted within the interior of the compartment wherein the intensity of the light detected within the compartment corresponds to the first position of the movable element within the compartment; and
a microprocessor connected to the electrical circuit and the first detector wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the first position within the compartment via the intensity of the light detected within the interior of the compartment which is not attenuated by the interior surface of the compartment or the movable element wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the second position within the interior of the compartment via the second total capacitance of the electrical circuit.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an insulator connected to the interior surface of the compartment wherein the insulator connects the tube to the interior surface of the compartment.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a surface formed on the movable element wherein the surface of the movable element or the interior surface of the compartment attenuates and diffuses the light emitted within the interior of the compartment.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a light source connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the light source emits the light into the interior of the compartment.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a second detector connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the second detector determines the intensity of the light within the interior of the compartment.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a tab connected to the movable element wherein the tab prevents the light from illuminating the interior of the compartment.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein an amount of the light emitted within the compartment is attenuated by the interior surface of the compartment wherein the amount of the light attenuated corresponds to the first position of the movable element within the compartment.
8. A system for detecting an end of a stroke or a beginning of the stroke, the system comprising:
a compartment having a body defining an interior wherein the body has an interior surface and a length defined between a first end and a second end of the compartment wherein the compartment has a movable element within the interior of the compartment wherein the movable element moves within the interior of the compartment between a first position and a second position wherein the second position is adjacent to the first end of the compartment;
an electrical circuit connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the electrical circuit has a total capacitance value wherein the movable element is moved to the second position within the interior of the compartment wherein the movable element connects to the electrical circuit at the second position wherein the movable element increases the total capacitance value of the electrical circuit;
a first detector connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the first detector determines an intensity of light emitted within the interior of the compartment wherein the intensity of the light detected within the compartment corresponds to the first position of the movable element within the compartment;
a microprocessor connected to the electrical circuit and the first detector wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the first position within the compartment via the intensity of the light detected within the interior of the compartment which is not attenuated by the interior surface of the compartment or the movable element wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the second position within the interior of the compartment via the second total capacitance of the electrical circuit; and
a second detector connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the second detector determines the intensity of the light within the interior of the compartment.
9. A system for detecting an end of a stroke or a beginning of the stroke, the system comprising:
a compartment having a body defining an interior wherein the body has an interior surface and a length defined between a first end and a second end of the compartment wherein the compartment has a movable element within the interior of the compartment wherein the movable element moves within the interior of the compartment between a first position and a second position wherein the second position is adjacent to the first end of the compartment;
an electrical circuit connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the electrical circuit has a total capacitance value wherein the movable element is moved to the second position within the interior of the compartment wherein the movable element connects to the electrical circuit at the second position wherein the movable element increases the total capacitance value of the electrical circuit;
a first detector connected to the first end of the compartment wherein the first detector determines an intensity of light emitted within the interior of the compartment wherein the intensity of the light detected within the compartment corresponds to the first position of the movable element within the compartment;
a microprocessor connected to the electrical circuit and the first detector wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the first position within the compartment via the intensity of the light detected within the interior of the compartment which is not attenuated by the interior surface of the compartment or the movable element wherein the microprocessor detects that the movable element is located at the second position within the interior of the compartment via the second total capacitance of the electrical circuit; and
a tab connected to the movable element wherein the tab prevents the light from illuminating the interior of the compartment.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A resistance change type memory comprising:
a resistance change element provided on a first interlayer insulating film on a substrate, wherein the resistance change element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode, and wherein at least two resistance states of the resistance change element and data to be stored are correlated with each other;
a sidewall insulating film provided on a side surface of the resistance change element;
a first plug which is provided in the first interlayer insulating film, and which is connected to the lower electrode of the resistance change element; and
a first interconnect which is provided on and contacts the first interlayer insulating film, and which is connected to the upper electrode of the resistance change element,
wherein the resistance change element is provided immediately above the first plug,
wherein the first interconnect covers the side surface of the resistance change element via the sidewall insulating film, and a portion of the first interconnect runs parallel to and faces the side surface of the resistance change element and the sidewall insulating film, and
wherein an upper surface of the first plug is covered with the lower electrode and the sidewall insulating film.
2. The resistance change type memory according to claim 1, wherein a first dimension of the first plug in a direction parallel to a substrate surface is greater than a second dimension of the resistance change element in the direction parallel to the substrate surface.
3. The resistance change type memory according to claim 2, wherein a total value of the second dimension of the resistance change element in the direction parallel to the substrate surface and a doubled thickness of the sidewall insulating film is greater than the first dimension of the first plug in the direction parallel to the substrate surface.
4. The resistance change type memory according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall insulating film is provided between a bottom surface of the first interconnect and the first interlayer insulating film.
5. The resistance change type memory according to claim 1, wherein the first interconnect extends in a first direction, and
wherein the first interconnect covers the whole side surface of the resistance change element via the sidewall insulating film.
6. The resistance change type memory according to claim 2, wherein the first interconnect extends in a first direction,
wherein a third dimension of the first interconnect in the first direction is greater than a total value of the second dimension of the resistance change element in the direction parallel to the substrate surface and a doubled thickness of the sidewall insulating film, and
wherein a fourth dimension of the first interconnect in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and in the direction parallel to the substrate surface is less than or equal to a total value of the second dimension of the resistance change element in the direction parallel to the substrate surface and a doubled thickness of the sidewall insulating film.
7. The resistance change type memory according to claim 6, wherein the sidewall insulating film on the side surface of the resistance change element in the first direction is in contact with the first interconnect, and
wherein the sidewall insulating film on the side surface of the resistance change element in the second direction is in contact with a second interlayer insulating film covering the first interconnect.
8. The resistance change type memory according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the sidewall insulating film is located closer to the substrate than an upper surface of the upper electrode.
9. The resistance change type memory according to claim 8, wherein a side surface of the upper electrode is in contact with the first interconnect.
10. The resistance change type memory according to claim 6, wherein a fifth dimension of the first interconnect in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface is greater than a sixth dimension of the resistance change element in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.
11. The resistance change type memory according to claim 10, wherein a seventh dimension of the first interconnect in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface is less than or equal to a eighth dimension of the resistance change element in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.
12. The resistance change type memory according to claim 1, further comprising a select transistor provided on an active region of the substrate, the select transistor including one end of a current path connected to the resistance change element through the first plug, the other end of the current path connected to a second interconnect through a second plug in the first interlayer insulating film, and a gate electrode connected to a third interconnect.
13. The resistance change type memory according to claim 12, wherein the first and second interconnects extend in a first direction,
wherein the third interconnect extends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a direction parallel to a substrate surface, and
wherein the active region extends in a third direction oblique to the first and second directions in the direction parallel to the substrate surface.