# US 12,010,925 B2 · Magnetic memory device and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 12,010,925 B2
- Document ID: US12010925B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/064,367
- Filed: 2022-12-12
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-01
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ung Hwan Pi; Dongkyu Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010925B2

## CPC

- H10N 50/80: Constructional details
- G11C 11/161: {details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell}
- G11C 11/1673: {Reading or sensing circuits or methods}
- G11C 11/1675: {Writing or programming circuits or methods}
- H01F 10/3254: {the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ]}
- H01F 10/329: {Spin-exchange coupled multilayers wherein the magnetisation of the free layer is switched by a spin-polarised current, e.g. spin torque effect}
- H01F 41/34: in patterns, e.g. by lithography
- H10B 61/00: Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
- H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices
- H10N 50/85: Materials of the active region
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A magnetic memory device includes a conductive line extending in a first direction, a magnetic line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction on the conductive line, the magnetic line intersecting the conductive line, and a magnetic pattern disposed between the conductive line and the magnetic line. The magnetic pattern has first sidewalls opposite to each other in the first direction, and second sidewalls opposite to each other in the second direction. The second sidewalls of the magnetic pattern are aligned with sidewalls of the conductive line, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a magnetic memory device, the method comprising:
forming a conductive line and a preliminary magnetic pattern which are sequentially stacked on a substrate and extend in a first direction;
forming a first interlayer insulating layer on the conductive line and the preliminary magnetic pattern;
forming a tunnel barrier layer and a magnetic layer which are sequentially stacked on the first interlayer insulating layer;
forming a mask pattern extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction on the magnetic layer; and
performing an etching process of etching the magnetic layer, the tunnel barrier layer, the first interlayer insulating layer and the preliminary magnetic pattern by using the mask pattern as an etch mask,
wherein the conductive line is an etch stop layer in the etching process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the etching process comprises:
etching the magnetic layer to form a magnetic line extending in the second direction;
etching the tunnel barrier layer to form a tunnel barrier line extending in the second direction; and
etching portions of the preliminary magnetic pattern at opposing sides of the magnetic line to form a magnetic pattern under the magnetic line.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the performing of the etching process further comprises:
etching portions of the first interlayer insulating layer at the opposing sides of the magnetic line, wherein the etching process is performed until a top surface of the conductive line is exposed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mask pattern is a second mask pattern, and wherein the forming of the conductive line and the preliminary magnetic pattern comprises:
sequentially forming a conductive layer and a preliminary magnetic layer on the substrate;
forming a first mask pattern extending in the first direction on the preliminary magnetic layer; and
etching the preliminary magnetic layer and the conductive layer by using the first mask pattern as an etch mask.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a separation insulating layer, a conductive layer and an additional magnetic layer, which are sequentially stacked on the magnetic layer,
wherein the mask pattern is formed on the additional magnetic layer, and
wherein the performing of the etching process further comprises etching the additional magnetic layer, the conductive layer and the separation insulating layer using the mask pattern as an etch mask.