Sub-lithographic patterning of magnetic tunneling junction devices
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorYu LU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for fabricating a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes creating a recess within a second patterning layer, in which a first patterning layer overhangs the recessed second patterning layer. Such a method further includes depositing a film into the recess to create a keyhole pattern within the deposited film. The method further includes transferring the keyhole pattern through a hard mask layer to an MTJ stack. The method also includes depositing a conductive material into the transferred keyhole pattern and on an MTJ stack. The method also includes removing the hard mask layer to create a conductive hard mask pillar.
Claims16
A method for fabricating a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, comprising:
- creating a recess within a second patterning layer, in which a first patterning layer overhangs the recessed second patterning layer;
- depositing a film into the recess to create a keyhole pattern within the deposited film;
- transferring the keyhole pattern through a hard mask layer to an MTJ stack;
- depositing a conductive material into the transferred keyhole pattern and on the MTJ stack;
- and
- removing the hard mask layer to create a conductive hard mask pillar.
A computer program product for fabricating a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) array, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon program code, the program code comprising:
- program code to create a recess within a second patterning layer, in which a first patterning layer overhangs the recessed second patterning layer;
- program code to deposit a film into the recess to create a keyhole pattern within the deposited film;
- program code to transfer the keyhole pattern through a hard mask layer to an MTJ stack;
- program code to depositing a conductive material into the transferred keyhole pattern and on the MTJ stack;
- and
- removing the hard mask layer to create a conductive hard mask pillar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.