Spacer stack for magnetic tunnel junctions
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJoung-Wei Liou, Chin Kun Lan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes an exemplary method that forms spacer stacks with metallic compound layers. The method includes forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on an interconnect layer and depositing a first spacer layer over the MTJ structures and the interconnect layer. The method also includes disposing a second spacer layer—which includes a metallic compound—over the first spacer material, the MTJ structures, and the interconnect layer so that the second spacer layer is thinner than the first spacer layer. The method further includes depositing a third spacer layer over the second spacer layer and between the MTJ structures. The third spacer is thicker than the second spacer.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on an interconnect layer;
- depositing a first spacer layer over the MTJ structures and the interconnect layer, wherein the first spacer layer is etched to expose top electrodes of the MTJ structures and the interconnect layer;
- depositing a second spacer layer over the first spacer layer, the MTJ structures, and the interconnect layer, wherein the second spacer layer is thinner than the first spacer layer and comprises a metallic compound;
- and
- etching the second spacer layer to expose the top electrodes of the MTJ structures.
A structure, comprising:
- a substrate with transistors, contact layers, and one or more interconnect layers disposed thereon;
- one or more magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures over the one or more interconnect layers, wherein bottom electrodes of the one or more MTJ structures are disposed on vias in a top interconnect layer of the one or more interconnect layers;
- a first spacer on each sidewall surface of the one or more MTJ structures;
- a metallic compound layer over each sidewall surface of the one or more MTJ structures and over the top interconnect layer, wherein the metallic compound layer fo is a second spacer that is thinner than the first spacer;
- and
- a third spacer on the metallic compound layer, wherein the third spacer is thicker than the second spacer and is disposed between the MTJ structures.
A structure, comprising:
- an interconnect layer over a substrate and comprising lines and vias;
- magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures disposed over the vias in the interconnect layer, wherein bottom electrodes of the MTJ structures are in contact with vias in the interconnect layer;
- a first spacer on each sidewall surface of the MTJ structures;
- and
- a second spacer over the first spacer and the interconnect layer, wherein the second spacer comprises a metallic compound layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.