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US 2021/0202841 A1Published application
Protective sealant for chalcogenide material and methods for forming the same
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsFarrell M. Good, Robert K. Grubbs, Gurpreet S. Lugani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques are described to form a liner to protect a material, such as a storage element material, from damage during subsequent operations or phases of a manufacturing process. The liner may be bonded to the material (e.g., a chalcogenide material) using a strong bond or a weak bond. In some cases, a sealant material may be deposited during an etching phase of the manufacturing process to prevent subsequent etching operations from damaging a material that has just been etched.
Claims32
A method, comprising:
- forming a stack of materials that comprises a chalcogenide material for storing information and a conductive material;
- etching the stack of materials to form a pillar as part of an etching phase of a manufacturing process, the etching phase comprising:
- etching the chalcogenide material to expose a sidewall of the chalcogenide material using a first set of etching parameters;
- depositing a first sealant material on the sidewall of the chalcogenide material to form a first liner after or during at least a portion of etching the chalcogenide material;
- etching the conductive material using a second set of etching parameters after depositing the first sealant material;
- and
- depositing a second sealant material over the pillar to form a second liner as part of a deposition phase that occurs after the etching phase.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a stack of materials that comprises a chalcogenide material for storing information and a conductive material;
- etching the stack of materials to form a pillar as part of an etching phase of a manufacturing process, the etching phase comprising:
- etching the chalcogenide material to expose a sidewall of the chalcogenide material using a first set of etching parameters;
- depositing a first sealant material on the sidewall of the chalcogenide material to form a first liner after etching the chalcogenide material;
- and
- altering a composition of the first liner using a substitution-based reaction as part of a phase that occurs after the etching phase.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a pillar comprising a first electrode, a chalcogenide material for storing information coupled with the first electrode, and a second electrode coupled with the chalcogenide material;
- a first liner coupled with a sidewall of the chalcogenide material and extending between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- and
- a second liner coupled with the first liner, the first electrode, and the second electrode of the pillar, the second liner being a different material than the first liner.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- forming a stack of materials that comprises a chalcogenide material for storing information and a conductive material;
- etching the stack of materials to form a pillar as part of an etching phase of a manufacturing process, the etching phase comprising:
- etching the chalcogenide material to expose a sidewall of the chalcogenide material using a first set of etching parameters;
- depositing a first sealant material on the sidewall of the chalcogenide material to form a first liner after etching the chalcogenide material;
- and
- etching the conductive material using a second set of etching parameters after depositing the first sealant material.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a stack of materials that comprises a chalcogenide material for storing information and a conductive material;
- etching the stack of materials to form a pillar as part of an etching phase of a manufacturing process, the etching phase comprising:
- etching the chalcogenide material to expose a sidewall of the chalcogenide material using a first set of etching parameters;
- depositing a first sealant material on the sidewall of the chalcogenide material to form a first liner after etching the chalcogenide material;
- and
- etching the conductive material using a second set of etching parameters after depositing the first sealant material;
- performing, after the etching phase, an etch back process that removes at least a portion of the first liner;
- and
- depositing the first sealant material after performing the etch back process to repair the first liner.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.