# US 12,604,671 B2 · Magnetic tunnel junction structure for MRAM

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- Number: US 12,604,671 B2
- Document ID: US12604671B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/645,412
- Filed: 2021-12-21
- Published: 2023-06-22
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-21
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Oscar Van Der Straten; Koichi Motoyama; Joseph F. Maniscalco; Chih-Chao Yang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604671B2

## CPC

- H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices
- H10N 50/80: Constructional details
- H10B 61/00: Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
- H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

Method and a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure is provided. The structure includes an interconnect and a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar located on the interconnect and having an outermost sidewall. The MTJ pillar includes an electrode layer electrically connecting the MTJ pillar to the interconnect. The electrode layer includes an insulative material at an outermost portion of the electrode layer and a conductive material at a first inner portion of the electrode layer disposed radially inward from the outermost portion of the electrode layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure comprising:
an interconnect; and
a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar disposed on the interconnect and having an outermost sidewall contacting multiple layers in the MTJ pillar, the MTJ pillar comprising an electrode layer electrically connecting the MTJ pillar to the interconnect, the electrode layer comprising an insulative material at an outermost portion of the electrode layer and a conductive material at a first inner portion of the electrode layer disposed radially inward from the outermost sidewall and the outermost portion of the electrode layer, wherein the insulative material directly contacts the outermost portion of the electrode layer and the outermost sidewall.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MRAM structure of claim 1, wherein the insulative material is a dielectric material and the conductive material comprises a metal selected from Ru, Ta, Ti, W, Mo, Pt, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The MRAM structure of claim 2, wherein the dielectric material comprises a silicon nitride.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The MRAM structure of claim 1, wherein the electrode layer comprises a second inner portion of the electrode layer comprising the conductive material, wherein the second inner portion is disposed radially inward and concentric with the first inner portion, the first and second inner portion separated by the insulative material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The MRAM structure of claim 4, wherein the electrode layer comprises a central portion disposed radially inward from the second inner portion, the central portion composed of the insulative material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The MRAM structure of claim 4, wherein the first inner portion of the electrode layer interfaces a first nucleation layer at a first inner circumferential surface of the first inner portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The MRAM structure of claim 6, wherein the second inner portion of the electrode layer interfaces a second nucleation layer at a second inner circumferential surface of the second inner portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The MRAM structure of claim 1, wherein the first inner portion of the electrode layer interfaces a first nucleation layer at a first inner circumferential surface of the first inner portion.

### Claim 9

A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure comprising:
an interconnect;
an electrode disposed on the interconnect, the electrode comprising one or more conductive rings surrounded by a dielectric material at an outermost circumferential surface of an outermost conductive ring of the one or more conductive rings; and
a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar disposed on the electrode, the one or more conductive rings forming an electrical connection between the MTJ pillar and interconnect, wherein at least two of the one or more conductive rings are composed of different conductive material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The MRAM structure of claim 9, wherein at least one conductive ring of the one or more conductive rings interfaces a nucleation layer at an inner circumferential surface of the at least one conductive ring.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The MRAM structure of claim 10, wherein the nucleation layer is composed of a metal nitride.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The MRAM structure of claim 11, wherein the metal is selected from Ru, Ta, W, Mo, Pt, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 13

A method of forming a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure, comprising:
forming an electrode layer on an interconnect, the electrode layer comprising one or more conductive rings surrounded by a dielectric material at an outer circumferential surface of the one or more conductive rings; and
forming a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar on the electrode layer and having an outermost sidewall contacting multiple layers in the MTJ pillar, wherein the one or more conductive rings form an electrical connection between the MTJ pillar and interconnect, and wherein the dielectric material directly contacts the outermost portion of the electrode layer and the outermost sidewall.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein forming the electrode layer comprises:
depositing the dielectric material over a cap layer disposed over the interconnect;
depositing a conductive ring of the one or more conductive rings, the conductive ring surrounding the dielectric material; and
depositing an outer dielectric portion surrounding the conductive ring.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein depositing the dielectric material, the conductive ring surrounding the dielectric material, and the dielectric material surrounding the conductive ring is repeated cyclically, such that the conductive rings are separated from one another by the dielectric material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
etching the electrode layer between each depositing of the dielectric material and the conductive rings.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
prior to depositing each of the conductive rings, depositing a nucleation layer surrounding the dielectric material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
depositing a hard mask over the MTJ pillar;
removing portions of the MTJ pillar to form an outer sidewall of the MTJ pillar; and
removing portions of the electrode layer, wherein etching the electrode layer comprises etching only the outer dielectric portion of the electrode layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein forming the electrode layer, comprises atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, reactive ion etching, ion beam etching, or combinations thereof.