Top buffer layer for magnetic tunnel junction application
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsLin Xue, Chando Park, Chi Hong Ching, Jaesoo Ahn, Mahendra Pakala
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Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate for MRAM applications. In one embodiment, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device structure includes a junction structure disposed on a substrate, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer, a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure, a metal capping layer disposed on the junction structure, and a top buffer layer disposed on the metal capping layer.
Claims17
A magnetic tunnel junction device structure, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a seed layer disposed on the substrate;
- a pinning layer disposed on the seed layer, the pinning layer comprising a first pinning layer and a second pinning layer sandwiching a coupling layer, wherein the first pinning layer, the second pinning layer, or both comprise Co and Ni;
- a junction structure disposed on the seed layer, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer;
- a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure;
- a metal capping layer disposed on the dielectric capping layer;
- and
- a top buffer layer disposed on the metal capping layer.
A magnetic tunnel junction device structure, comprising:
- a junction structure disposed on a substrate, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer;
- a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure;
- a metal capping layer disposed on the dielectric capping layer;
- a metal material disposed on the metal capping layer, the metal material selected from a group consisting of Ta, Mo, W, and Cr;
- and
- a top buffer layer disposed on the metal material, the top buffer layer comprising a CoFeB material.
A magnetic tunnel junction device structure, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a seed layer disposed on the substrate;
- a pinning layer disposed on the seed layer, the pinning layer comprising a first pinning layer and a second pinning layer sandwiching a coupling layer, wherein the first pinning layer, the second pinning layer, or both comprise Co and Ni;
- a junction structure disposed on the seed layer, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer;
- a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure;
- a metal capping layer disposed on the dielectric capping layer;
- and
- a top buffer layer disposed on the metal capping layer, the top buffer layer comprising a CoFeB material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.