Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsSheng-Han Yi, Hai-Dang Trinh, Yao-Wen Chang
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed towards an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a first dielectric layer over a substrate. A phase change material (PCM) structure is over the first dielectric layer. A heater structure is in the first dielectric layer and under the PCM structure. The heater structure includes a first buffer layer and a first conductive layer on the first buffer layer. The first conductive layer comprises a metal. The first buffer layer comprises the metal and a first element different from the metal. A first atomic percent of the first element in the first buffer layer is greater than a second atomic percent of the metal in the first buffer layer.
Claims20
An integrated chip, comprising:
- a first dielectric layer over a substrate;
- a phase change material (PCM) structure over the first dielectric layer;
- and
- a heater structure in the first dielectric layer and under the PCM structure, wherein the heater structure comprises a first buffer layer and a first conductive layer on the first buffer layer, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a metal, wherein the first buffer layer comprises the metal and a first element different from the metal, wherein a first atomic percent of the first element in the first buffer layer is less than a second atomic percent of the metal in the first buffer layer.
A method for forming an integrated chip, comprising:
- depositing a first dielectric layer over a substrate;
- depositing a stack of layers over the first dielectric layer, wherein the stack of layers comprises a buffer layer over the first dielectric layer and a conductive layer over the buffer layer, wherein the conductive layer comprises a metal and the buffer layer comprises a nitride of the metal, wherein an atomic percent of nitrogen in the buffer layer is less than 50 at %, and wherein a thickness of the buffer layer is less than a thickness of the conductive layer;
- etching the stack of layers to form a heater structure and a pair of electrodes over the first dielectric layer, wherein the pair of electrodes is on opposing sides of the heater structure, wherein the heater structure comprises the buffer layer and the conductive layer;
- depositing a phase change material (PCM) layer over the heater structure;
- and
- etching the PCM layer to form a PCM structure over the heater structure.
A method for forming an integrated chip, comprising:
- depositing a first dielectric layer over a substrate;
- depositing a stack of layers over the first dielectric layer, wherein the stack of layers comprises a buffer layer on the first dielectric layer and a conductive layer on the buffer layer, wherein the conductive layer comprises a metal and the buffer layer comprises a nitride of the metal, wherein a majority of a chemical composition of the buffer layer comprises the metal;
- patterning the stack of layers to form a heater structure, a first electrode, and a second electrode, wherein the heater structure is spaced laterally between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- depositing a thermal barrier layer over the heater structure;
- patterning the thermal barrier layer to form a thermal barrier structure on the heater structure;
- depositing a phase change material (PCM) layer over the thermal barrier structure;
- depositing a hard mask layer over the PCM layer;
- and
- patterning the PCM layer and the hard mask layer to form a PCM structure over the thermal barrier structure and a hard mask over the PCM structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.