Magnetic tunnel junction patterning using low atomic weight ion sputtering

    公开(公告)号:US09728717B2

    公开(公告)日:2017-08-08

    申请号:US14742382

    申请日:2015-06-17

    IPC分类号: H01L29/82 H01L43/12

    CPC分类号: H01L43/12

    摘要: A method of magnetic tunnel junction patterning for magnetoresistive random access memory devices using low atomic weight ion sputtering. The method includes: providing a magnetoresistive random access memory device including a hard mask metal, a MTJ element, and a semiconductor substrate, wherein the hard mask metal is disposed on the MTJ element and, wherein the MTJ element is disposed on the semiconductor substrate; and etching back the MTJ element into a plurality of MTJ element pillars using a low atomic weight ion sputtering. A magnetoresistive random access memory device using low atomic weight ion sputtering. The device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of MTJ element pillars disposed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of MTJ element pillars is etched from a MTJ element using a low atomic weight ion sputtering; and a hard mask metal disposed on the MTJ element pillars.

    MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) STRUCTURE WITH SMALL BOTTOM ELECTRODE

    公开(公告)号:US20200321394A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-10-08

    申请号:US16374120

    申请日:2019-04-03

    IPC分类号: H01L27/22 H01L43/12

    摘要: A semiconductor structure and fabrication method of forming a semiconductor structure. The structure is a MRAM element having a first conductive electrode embedded in a first interconnect dielectric material layer upon which a multi-layered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory element is formed in a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device area. The first conductive electrode includes a first end having a top surface of a first surface area and a second end having a bottom surface of a second surface area, the first surface area being smaller than the second surface area. The second end of the bottom electrode includes a barrier liner material including a metal fill material, and the first end of the bottom electrode is a pillar structure formed as a result of an etchback process in which the metal barrier liner is recessed relative to the metal fill material.

    MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION (MTJ) BILAYER HARD MASK TO PREVENT REDEPOSITION

    公开(公告)号:US20200220072A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-07-09

    申请号:US16238846

    申请日:2019-01-03

    IPC分类号: H01L43/12 H01L27/22 H01L43/02

    摘要: A semiconductor structure and fabrication method of forming a semiconductor structure. The method first provides an electrically conductive structure embedded in an interconnect dielectric material layer of a magnetoresistive random access memory device. A conductive landing pad is located on a surface of the electrically conductive structure. A multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure and an MTJ cap layer is formed on the landing pad. Then there is formed a first conductive layer on top the MTJ cap layer and a second conductive metal layer formed on top the first conductive layer. A pillar mask structure is then patterned and formed on the second conductive layer. The resulting structure is subject to lithographic patterning and etching to form a patterned bilayer metal hardmask pillar structure on top the MTJ cap layer. Subsequent etch processing forms an MTJ stack having sidewalls aligned to the patterned bilayer metal hardmask pillar.