# US 8,569,849 B2 · Hole first hardmask definition

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- Number: US 8,569,849 B2
- Document ID: US8569849B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/618,908
- Filed: 2012-09-14
- Published: 2013-02-21
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-17
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Wei-Hang Huang; Shih-Chang Liu; Chern-Yow Hsu; Fu-Ting Sung; Chia-Shiung Tsai
- Inventors: Wei-Hang Huang; Shih-Chang Liu; Chern-Yow Hsu; Fu-Ting Sung; Chia-Shiung Tsai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569849B2

## CPC

- H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment
- G11C 11/16: using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacture are provided, such as a MTJ device and a method of manufacturing a MTJ device. The MTJ device may include a bottom electrode, a MTJ stack, and a top electrode, wherein the top electrode is formed using a hole-filling technique. The top electrode may have slanted sidewalls. The MTJ stack may be formed by depositing corresponding MTJ layers. A patterned mask may be formed and patterned over the MTJ layers to form an opening defining the top electrode. The opening is filled with a conductive material to form the top electrode. The top electrode is then used as a mask to pattern the MTJ layers, thereby forming a MTJ stack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising:
a substrate having a bottom electrode and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed thereon; and
a top electrode over the MTJ stack, the top electrode being narrower adjacent to the MTJ stack than a top of the top electrode, a bottom surface of the top electrode having a same width as a top surface of the MTJ stack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the top electrode comprises tantalum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the bottom electrode comprises tantalum.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more insulation layers below the bottom electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the one or more insulation layers include a SiN layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the one or more insulation layers include a SiC layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the MTJ stack comprises a pinning layer, a tunnel layer, and a free layer.

### Claim 8

A device comprising:
a substrate having a bottom electrode and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed thereon; and
a top electrode over the MTJ stack, the top electrode having slanted sidewalls and a bottom surface having a same width as a top surface of the MTJ stack.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the top electrode comprises tantalum.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the bottom electrode comprises tantalum.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising one or more insulation layers below the bottom electrode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more insulation layers include a SiN layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more insulation layers include a SiC layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the MTJ stack comprises a pinning layer, a tunnel layer, and a free layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein a bottom surface of the top electrode is smaller than a top surface of the top electrode.

### Claim 16

A device comprising:
a substrate having a bottom electrode and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed thereon, the MTJ stack having a first width; and
a top electrode over the MTJ stack, the top electrode having a second width along an interface between the top electrode and the MTJ stack, the first width being the same as the second width.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of insulation layers below the bottom electrode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, wherein the MTJ stack comprises a pinning layer, a tunnel layer, and a free layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, wherein a bottom surface of the top electrode is smaller than a top surface of the top electrode.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, wherein the top electrode comprises straight slanted sidewalls.