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US 11,222,676 B2Granted
Narrow etched gaps or features in multi-period thin-film structures
AssigneeIntegrated Magnetoelectronics Corporation
InventorEdward Wuori
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multi-period thin-film structures exhibiting giant magnetoresistance (GMR) are described. Techniques are also described by which narrow spacing and/or feature size may be achieved for such structures and other thin-film structures having an arbitrary number of periods.
Claims26
A method, comprising:
- forming a first multi-layer film on a substrate;
- etching the first multi-layer film to form a plurality of first structures;
- planarizing the first structures with a planarizing material;
- removing a portion of the planarizing material to expose a top surface of each of the first structures;
- forming a second multi-layer film on the remaining planarizing material and the top surfaces of the first structures;
- etching the second multi-layer film to form a plurality of second structures, each of the second structures being aligned with and in contact with the top surface of a corresponding one of the first structures and forming one of a plurality of third structures therewith;
- planarizing the third structures with the planarizing material;
- removing a portion of the planarizing material to expose a top surface of each of the third structures;
- and
- repeating the forming, etching, planarizing, and removing one or more times resulting in a plurality of fourth structures characterized by a minimum spacing, wherein a gap between two adjacent fourth structures is the minimum spacing across all layers of the two adjacent fourth structures.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a first multi-layer film on a substrate;
- etching the first multi-layer film to form a plurality of first structures;
- planarizing the first structures with a planarizing material;
- removing a portion of the planarizing material to expose a top surface of each of the first structures;
- forming a second multi-layer film on the remaining planarizing material and the top surfaces of the first structures;
- etching the second multi-layer film to form a plurality of second structures, each of the second structures being aligned with and in contact with the top surface of a corresponding one of the first structures and forming one of a plurality of third structures therewith;
- planarizing the third structures with the planarizing material;
- removing a portion of the planarizing material to expose a top surface of each of the third structures;
- and
- repeating the forming, etching, planarizing, and removing one or more times resulting in a plurality of fourth structures characterized by a minimum feature size, wherein a first feature size of a particular one of the fourth structures is the minimum feature size across all layers of the particular one of the fourth structures.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.