U.S. patent application number 16/826498 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-30 for self contacting bit line to mram cell.
The applicant listed for this patent is III Holdings 1, LLC. Invention is credited to Krishnakumar Mani.
Application Number | 20200243760 16/826498 |
Document ID | 20200243760 / US20200243760 |
Family ID | 1000004750107 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-30 |
Patent Application | download [pdf] |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200243760 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mani; Krishnakumar |
July 30, 2020 |
SELF CONTACTING BIT LINE TO MRAM CELL
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention disclose magnetic memory cell
configurations in which a magnetic storage structure is coupled to
an upper metal layer with minimal overlay margin. This greatly
reduces a size of the memory cell.
Inventors: |
Mani; Krishnakumar; (San
Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
III Holdings 1, LLC |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
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|
Family ID: |
1000004750107 |
Appl. No.: |
16/826498 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14886370 |
Oct 19, 2015 |
10608171 |
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16826498 |
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13444805 |
Apr 11, 2012 |
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14886370 |
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61473921 |
Apr 11, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11C 11/161 20130101;
H01L 43/08 20130101; H01L 27/222 20130101; H01L 43/12 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 43/12 20060101
H01L043/12; G11C 11/16 20060101 G11C011/16; H01L 43/08 20060101
H01L043/08 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A method of fabricating a magnetic memory cell, the method
comprising: forming a write word line and a landing pad in a
substrate such that an upper surface of the write word line is
below an upper surface of the substrate; forming a read lead layer
on the upper surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to
the landing pad; forming a plurality of memory element layers such
that at least one memory element layer is electrically coupled to
the read lead layer; forming a hard mask layer over the plurality
of memory element layers; patterning the hard mask layer to form a
hard mask pattern comprising a hard mask cap positioned over the
write word line; transferring the hard mask pattern to the
plurality of memory element layers to form a memory element stack
from the plurality of memory element layers, wherein the memory
element stack is positioned over the write word line and covered
with the hard mask cap of the hard mask layer, and wherein the hard
mask cap is self-aligned with the memory element stack as a result
of said transferring the hard mask pattern; depositing an oxide
layer over the hard mask cap and the memory element stack; forming
a trench above the hard mask cap and the memory element stack by
etching the oxide layer until at least a top surface of the hard
mask cap is exposed; removing the hard mask cap exposed via the
trench to obtain a hole that is self-aligned with the memory
element stack; depositing a seed layer in the hole; and filling the
hole and the trench with conductive material to obtain a conductive
structure that is self-aligned with the memory element stack.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said forming the plurality of
memory element layers comprises: forming a pin layer; forming a
tunnel oxide layer on the pin layer; and forming a fixed layer on
the tunnel oxide layer.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein said transferring the hard mask
pattern comprises transferring the hard mask pattern to the fixed
layer, the tunnel oxide layer, and the pin layer to obtain the
memory element stack.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein: said patterning the hard mask
layer comprises performing a lithographic and mask etch process to
form the hard mask pattern from the hard mask layer; and said
transferring the hard mask pattern to the plurality of memory
element layers comprises, after the lithographic and mask etch
process, ion milling the plurality of memory element layers using
the hard mask cap of the hard mask pattern as a mask to form the
memory element stack, wherein said ion milling self-aligns the hard
mask cap with the memory element stack.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein said filling the hole and
trench forms another read lead layer that is electrically coupled
to the memory element stack.
24. The method of claim 19, wherein the hard mask layer comprises
an oxide layer formed over the plurality of memory element layers
and a nitride layer formed over the oxide layer of the hard mask
layer.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein said removing the hard mask cap
comprises: using an acid to remove the nitride layer of the hard
mask cap; and etching the oxide layer of the hard mask cap until at
least an upper surface of the memory element stack is exposed.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein said filling the hole and the
trench comprises plugging copper in the trench with
electroplating.
27. The method of claim 25, further comprising removing excess
copper outside of the trench via chemical mechanical polishing.
28. The method of claim 19, wherein: said patterning the hard mask
layer comprises performing a lithographic and mask etch process to
form the hard mask pattern from the hard mask layer; and said
transferring the hard mask pattern to the plurality of memory
element layers comprises, after the lithographic and mask etch
process, reactive ion etching the plurality of memory element
layers using the hard mask cap of the hard mask pattern as a mask
to form the memory element stack, wherein said reactive ion etching
self-aligns the hard mask cap with the memory element stack.
29. A method of fabricating a magnetic memory cell, the method
comprising: forming a write word line and a landing pad in a
substrate such that an upper surface of the write word line is
below an upper surface of the substrate; forming a read lead layer
on the upper surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to
the landing pad; forming a plurality of memory element layers such
that at least one memory element layer is electrically coupled to
the read lead layer; forming a hard mask layer over the plurality
of memory element layers; patterning the hard mask layer to form a
hard mask pattern comprising a hard mask cap positioned over the
write word line; transferring the hard mask pattern to the
plurality of memory element layers to form a memory element stack
from the plurality of memory element layers, wherein the memory
element stack is positioned over the write word line and covered
with the hard mask cap of the hard mask layer, and wherein the hard
mask cap is self-aligned with the memory element stack as a result
of said transferring the hard mask pattern; depositing an oxide
layer over the hard mask cap and the memory element stack; forming
a trench above the hard mask cap and the memory element stack by
etching the oxide layer until at least a top surface of the hard
mask cap is exposed; removing the hard mask cap exposed via the
trench to obtain a hole that is self-aligned with the memory
element stack; and electroplating the trench and the hole with
copper.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said forming the plurality of
memory element layers comprises: forming a pin layer; forming a
tunnel oxide layer on the pin layer; and forming a fixed layer on
the tunnel oxide layer.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein said transferring the hard mask
pattern comprises transferring the hard mask pattern to the fixed
layer, the tunnel oxide layer, and the pin layer to obtain the
memory element stack.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein: said patterning the hard mask
layer comprises performing a lithographic and mask etch process to
form the hard mask pattern from the hard mask layer; and said
transferring the hard mask pattern to the plurality of memory
element layers comprises, after the lithographic and mask etch
process, ion milling the plurality of memory element layers using
the hard mask cap of the hard mask pattern as a mask to form the
memory element stack, wherein said ion milling self-aligns the hard
mask cap with the memory element stack.
33. The method of claim 29, wherein said electroplating forms
another read lead layer that is electrically coupled to the memory
element stack.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein the hard mask layer comprises
an oxide layer formed over the plurality of memory element layers
and a nitride layer formed over the oxide layer of the hard mask
layer.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein said removing the hard mask cap
comprises: using an acid to remove the nitride layer of the hard
mask cap; and etching the oxide layer of the hard mask cap until at
least an upper surface of the memory element stack is exposed.
36. The method of claim 29, wherein: said patterning the hard mask
layer comprises performing a lithographic and mask etch process to
form the hard mask pattern from the hard mask layer; and said
transferring the hard mask pattern to the plurality of memory
element layers comprises, after the lithographic and mask etch
process, reactive ion etching the plurality of memory element
layers using the hard mask cap of the hard mask pattern as a mask
to form the memory element stack, wherein said reactive ion etching
self-aligns the hard mask cap with the memory element stack.
37. A method of fabricating a magnetic memory cell, the method
comprising: forming a write word line and a landing pad in a
substrate such that an upper surface of the write word line is
below an upper surface of the substrate; forming a read lead layer
on the upper surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to
the landing pad; forming a plurality of memory element layers such
that at least one memory element layer is electrically coupled to
the read lead layer; transferring a pattern of a hard mask layer to
the plurality of memory element layers to form a memory element
stack from the plurality of memory element layers, wherein the
memory element stack is positioned over the write word line and
covered with a hard mask cap of the hard mask layer; after said
transferring of the hard mask pattern to the plurality of memory
element layers, etching the read lead layer to form a plurality of
read leads that include a read lead electrically coupled to the
memory element stack; depositing an oxide layer over the hard mask
cap and the memory element stack; etching a trench into the oxide
layer until at least a top surface of the hard mask cap is exposed;
removing the hard mask cap exposed via the trench to obtain a hole
aligned with the memory element stack; and filling the hole and the
trench with conductive material to obtain a conductive structure
that is aligned with the memory element stack.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein said filling the hole and
trench forms another read lead layer that is electrically coupled
to the memory element stack.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/886,370, titled "Self Contacting Bit Line
to MRAM Cell," filed Oct. 19, 2015, which is a divisional of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/444,805, titled "Self Contacting Bit
Line to MRAM Cell," filed Apr. 11, 2012, which claims the benefit
of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/473,921,
titled "Self Contacting Bit Line to MRAM Cell," filed Apr. 11,
2011.
FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the invention relate to MRAM (Magnetic Random
Access Memory) semiconductor devices.
BACKGROUND
[0003] MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory) cells may be fabricated
during BEOL (Back End Of Line) after a MOS FET device process. The
minimum feature size of an MRAM cell is often 1.5.times. larger
than that of FEOL (Front End of Line). It is therefore difficult to
shrink memory size compared with other FEOL based memories.
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments of the invention disclose a plurality of
self-aligned structures that save the overlay margin.
[0005] The first embodiment discloses a MTJ cell wherein the MTJ
stack is directly coupled to the upper metal without the
requirement of a via. Sidewalls of individual MTJ elements are
protected with dielectric film spacer to prevent from PIN-Switch
layer shorting 10 through the tunnel oxide layer. The top layer of
MTJ is exposed to upper metal. Overlay margin in this embodiment is
required only for upper metal coverage over MTJ. The upper metal
width comes to f+2.differential., saving 2.differential. compared
to previous art. Putting MTJ feature size equal to that of FEOL,
the memory size becomes competitive to FEOL based memory.
[0006] The second embodiment comprises an electrically conductive
material such as Titanium Nitride, which is used as a hard mask.
The hard mask is for MTJ stack etch and remains on top of MTJ
pillar after the etching. Inter layer oxide is deposited over the
MTJ pillar. The hard mask remained on MTJ is exposed with CMP.
Metal such as Al/Cu is deposited and patterned with conventional
lithography and Reactive Ion Etching. The same reduction in memory
cell size as the first embodiment is provided by the second
embodiment.
[0007] The third embodiment discloses a self-aligned via which
replaces the hard mask. Silicon nitride is used as hard mask as an
example. The hard mask is for MTJ stack etch and remains on top of
MTJ pillar after the etching. Inter layer oxide is deposited over
the MTJ pillar. The hard mask remained on MTJ is exposed with CMP
or Dual Damascene oxide trench etch. The exposed hard mask is
removed by hot phosphoric acid followed by upper metal deposition.
The same squeezing memory cell size as the first embodiment is
expected on the structure.
[0008] The fourth embodiment is of self-aligned etching. MTJ is to
be etched twice along word line direction first and bit line
direction 2.sup.nd. Putting dielectric film, nitride preferred,
spacer on MTJ pillar to prevent PIN layer--Fix layer short. Oxide
is deposited and planerized by CMP. The oxide is recessed until MTJ
appeared. Upper metal layer is deposited patterned. MTJ and bottom
read lead is etched with the same mask as upper metal. The upper
metal is wrapping around MTJ pillar. It works to help induce
magnetic field. The upper metal width can be same size as MTJ
pillar. It saves 4.differential. compared with prior arts.
[0009] The fifth embodiment is also of self-aligned patterning. It
is different in read electrode connecting to top of MTJ instead of
bottom of the pillar. MTJ is connected to lower metal (write word
line). Top metal is electrically isolated from MTJ with a thin
dielectric film. The upper metal also wraps around MTJ. It enhances
magnetic field induction for switching. It saves cell footprint
also by 4.differential..
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] While the appended claims set forth the features of the
present invention with particularity, the invention, together with
its objects and advantages, will be more readily appreciated from
the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of prior
arts.
[0012] FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of prior arts.
[0013] FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of 1.sup.st
preferred embodiment
[0014] FIG. 2B illustrates a top view of 1.sup.st preferred
embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3H illustrate cross sectional views along
bit line direction at individual process steps to the 1.sup.st
embodiment
[0016] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4F illustrate cross sectional views along
other direction of FIG. 3C to FIG. 3H.
[0017] FIG. 5A illustrates a cross-sectional view of 2.sup.nd
preferred embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 5B illustrates a top view 2.sup.nd preferred
embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6F illustrate cross sectional views along
bit line direction at individual process steps to the 2.sup.nd
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D illustrate cross sectional views along
other direction of FIG. 6C to FIG. 6F.
[0021] FIG. 8A illustrates a cross-sectional view of 3.sup.rd
embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 8B illustrates a top view 3.sup.rd embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 9A to FIG. 9H illustrate cross sectional views along
bit line direction at individual process steps to the 3.sup.rd
embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D illustrate cross sectional views along
other direction of FIG. 9E to FIG. 9H.
[0025] FIG. 11A illustrates a cross-sectional view of 4.sup.th
embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 11B illustrates a top view 4.sup.th embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12H illustrate cross sectional views along
bit line direction at individual process steps to the 4.sup.th
embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13F illustrate cross sectional views along
other direction of FIG. 12C to FIG. 12H.
[0029] FIG. 14A illustrates a cross-sectional view of 5.sup.th
preferred embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 14B illustrates a top view 5.sup.th embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 15A to FIG. 15E illustrate cross sectional views along
bit line direction at individual process steps to the 5.sup.th
embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 16A to FIG. 16D illustrate cross sectional views along
other direction of FIG. 15B to FIG. 15E.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] In the following description, for purposes of explanation,
numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent,
however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
structures and devices are shown in block diagram form only in
order to avoid obscuring the invention.
[0034] Reference in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The
appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in
the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually
exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are
described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by
others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be
requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.
[0035] Moreover, although the following description contains many
specifics for the purposes of illustration, anyone skilled in the
art will appreciate that many variations and/or alterations to said
details are within the scope of the present invention. Similarly,
although many of the features of the present invention are
described in terms of each other, or in conjunction with each
other, one skilled in the art will appreciate that many of these
features can be provided independently of other features.
Accordingly, this description of the invention is set forth without
any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon,
the invention.
[0036] Prior Art FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view through a
prior art MRAM cell, whereas Prior Art FIG. 1B shows a plan view of
the MRAM cell. As can be seen the MRAM cell includes a MTJ
(Magnetic Tunnel Junction) as a memory element. The MTJ is
connected to upper and lower metals through via holes where overlay
margin .differential. is required on the both edges of via hole
landing area. The MTJ cell is designed to be bigger than the upper
through hole to upper metal by 2.differential.. Since the upper
metal should cover the MTJ, the upper metal becomes bigger than the
MTJ by 2.differential.. The upper metal width consequently becomes
4.differential. bigger than a feature size f of the via hole.
Overlay margin is estimated to be 20% to 30% of the minimum feature
size. The metal width would be twice bigger than minimum feature
size.
[0037] FIG. 2A shows a cross sectional view of a first embodiment
of an MRAM cell. A top view of the first embodiment is shown in
FIG. 2C. As will be seen, the upper metal 113 is directly connected
to the top of MTJ. Overlay margin of MTJ to via is not necessary so
that upper metal width becomes f+2.differential. considering
overlay margin of upper metal to MTJ. Thus, the first embodiments
saves 2.differential. compared to conventional structure showed in
Prior Art FIG. 1A and Prior Art FIG. 1B.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 3A, a lower metal as write word line 101
and landing pad 102 to read device are patterned after the FEOL
process is completed. The surface over write word line is
planerized with CMP. Bottom read lead 104, MTJ Pin layer 105,
tunnel oxide 106, MTJ fixed layer 107 and hard mask layer are
subsequently deposited as shown in FIG. 3B. Patterning photo resist
108 with MTJ pillar mask in FIGS. 3C and 4A, MTJ stack (107, 106,
105) is etched with ion milling or reactive ion etch with end point
at read lead metal 104 surface. Read lead metal is patterned with
photo resist mask 109 and etched also with ion milling or reactive
ion etch as shown in FIGS. 3D and 4B. A dielectric layer having
enough etch selectivity to oxide such as nitride is deposited and
vertically etched as shown in FIGS. 3E and 4C to put dielectric
spacer 110 on MTJ sidewall to protect the junction 106. Oxide 111
as an inter dielectric layer is deposited and planerized as shown
in FIGS. 3F and 4D. Trench line 112 is formed in oxide 111 using
conventional damascene process. The trench etch goes until top of
MTJ surface completely appears as shown in FIGS. 3G and 4E. Seed
layer is deposited and copper 112 is plugged in trench with electro
plating. Conventional copper CMP is used to remove excess copper
outside of the trench as shown in FIGS. 3H and 4F.
[0039] A cross sectional view of the 2.sup.nd embodiment is shown
in FIG. 5A. Top view is in FIG. 5B. The MTJ pillar is coupled to
the upper metal 213 without the need of a via. Overlay margin of
MTJ to via is thus not necessary so that upper metal width becomes
f+2.differential. considering overlay margin of upper metal to MTJ
as discussed in the first embodiment. This embodiment saves
2.differential. compared to conventional structure shown in Prior
Art FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 6A, lower metal as write word line 201 and
landing pad 202 to read device are patterned after FEOL process is
completed. The surface over write word line is planerized with CMP.
Bottom read lead 204, MTJ Pin layer 205, tunnel oxide 206, MTJ
fixed layer 207 and hard mask layer 208 consisting of oxide and
Titanium nitride are subsequently deposited as shown in FIG. 6B.
Titanium Nitride layer and oxide layer 208 are patterned using
conventional lithography and mask etch as shown in FIGS. 6C and 7A.
Vertical ion etching with Ion milling or reactive ion allows to
transfer the hard mask pattern into MTJ stack as in FIGS. 6D and
7B, with end point at read lead metal 204 surface, followed by read
lead metal patterning similar to the first embodiment. Oxide 210 as
an inter dielectric layer is deposited as shown in FIGS. 6E and 7C.
CMP is allowed until Titanium nitride appears on surface as shown
in FIGS. 6F and 7D, followed by conventional metal dry etch
process.
[0041] A cross-sectional view of the 3.sup.rd embodiment is shown
in FIG. 8A. A top view of the 3.sup.rd embodiment is shown in FIG.
8B. A self-aligned via connects the MTJ pillar/stack to the upper
metal. Overlay margin of MTJ to via is not necessary so that upper
metal width becomes f+2.differential. considering overlay margin of
upper metal to MTJ as discussed in the first embodiment. It save
2.differential. compared to conventional structure showed in Prior
Art FIG. 1A. and FIG. 1B.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 9A, lower metal as write word line 301 and
landing pad 302 to read device are patterned after FEOL process is
completed. The surface over write word line is planerized with CMP.
Bottom read lead 304, MTJ Pin layer 305, tunnel oxide 306, MTJ
fixed layer 307 and hard mask layer consisting of bottom oxide 308
and nitride 309 are subsequently deposited as shown in FIG. 9B.
Nitride layer and oxide layer are patterned using conventional
lithography and mask etch as shown in FIG. 9C. Vertical ion etching
with Ion milling or reactive ion etch allows to transfer the hard
mask pattern into MTJ stack as in FIG. 9D, with end point at read
lead metal 304 surface, followed by read lead metal patterning
similar to the first embodiment. Oxide 310 as an inter dielectric
layer is deposited and planerized as shown in FIGS. 9E and 10A.
Trench line 311 is formed in oxide 310 using conventional damascene
process. The trench etch goes until top of hard mask nitride
surface completely appears as shown in FIGS. 9F and 10B. Exposed
nitride 309 is removed with hot phosphoric acid as shown in FIGS.
9G and 10C. The self aligned via structure 312 delivered. Adding
oxide etch, the oxide 308 over MTJ is etched and MTJ surface
appears. Seed layer is deposited and copper 313 is plugged in
trench with electro plating. Conventional copper CMP remove excess
copper outside of the trench as shown in FIGS. 9H and 10D.
[0043] A cross-sectional view of the 4.sup.th embodiment is shown
in FIG. 11A. A top view of the 4.sup.th embodiment is shown in FIG.
11B. MTJ is patterned twice. Firstly along the word line direction
and secondly along the bit line direction. At 2.sup.nd patterning,
upper metal layer, MTJ and bottom read lead are patterned with one
mask. No overlay margin is required so that upper metal width
becomes same feature size as MTJ. This embodiment saves
4.differential. compared to conventional structure showed in Prior
Art FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. The structure has other benefit than cell
size. The upper metal wraps around the MTJ. The current flowing the
metal induces stronger magnetic field than straight metal line. It
works better to switch the pin layer direction.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 12A, lower metal as write word line 401 and
landing pad 402 to read device are patterned after FEOL process is
completed. The surface over write word line is planerized with CMP.
Bottom read lead 404, MTJ Pin layer 405, tunnel oxide 406, MTJ
fixed layer 407 and hard mask layer are subsequently deposited as
shown in FIG. 12B. With the same process step as previous
embodiments, MTJ stack 408 is patterned as a line along word line
direction as shown in FIG. 12C and FIG. 13A. Nitride spacer 409 is
placed on side wall of MTJ line as shown in FIGS. 12D and 13B.
Oxide 410 is deposited and planerized as shown in FIGS. 12E and
13C. The planerized oxide is recessed with vertical ion etching
until top of MTJ line appears enough as shown in FIGS. 12F and 13D.
Remained oxide 411 in FIG. 12F is to insulate upper metal from
bottom read lead metal. Upper metal 412 such as aluminum/Cu alloy
is deposited as shown in FIGS. 12G and 13E. Patterning photoresist,
the upper metal is etched with conventional metal etching process
by reaching to insulation oxide 411. Subsequent Ion milling etches
oxide, MTJ and bottom read lead metal to get self-aligned structure
413 as shown in FIGS. 12H and 13F.
[0045] A cross-sectional view of the 5.sup.th embodiment is shown
in FIG. 14A. A top view of the 5.sup.th embodiment is shown in FIG.
14B. MTJ is connected lower metal line (write word line) instead of
connecting upper metal as adapted in previous embodiments. Read
lead is connected to top of MTJ different from previous 4
embodiments. Thin oxide separates upper metal and read lead/MTJ
electrically. MTJ is also patterned twice along word line direction
first and bit line direction 2.sup.nd as was the case with the
4.sup.th embodiment. At 2.sup.nd patterning, upper metal layer, MTJ
and bottom read lead are patterned with one mask. No overlay margin
is required so that upper metal width becomes same feature size as
MTJ. It save 4.differential. compared to conventional structure
showed in Prior Art FIG. 1A and FIG. 2B. The structure has other
benefit than cell size. The upper metal wraps around the MTJ. The
current flowing the metal induces stronger magnetic field than
straight metal line. It works better to switch the pin layer
direction.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 15A, lower metal as write word line 501 and
landing pad 502 to read device are patterned after FEOL process is
completed. The vias 503 and 504 to be connected to MTJ and read
lead metal are opened over 501 and 502.
[0047] Tungsten is deposited and allows CMP to make the surface
smooth. MTJ Pin layer 505, tunnel oxide 506, MTJ fixed layer 507
and hard mask layer are subsequently deposited as previous
embodiments. The stack is patterned as a line along the word line
direction and followed by spacer oxide protect the MTJ sidewall as
shown in FIGS. 15B and 16A. Read metal 509 is deposited and
patterned as shown in FIGS. 15C and 16B. With the same process step
as previous embodiments, Thin oxide 510 is deposited to insulate
MTJ/Read Metal and upper metal(Bit line). Upper metal 511 such as
aluminum/Cu alloy is deposited as shown in FIGS. 15D and 16C.
Patterning photoresist, the upper metal is etched with conventional
metal etching process by reaching to insulation oxide 510. Oxide
510 can be removed by wet etch. Subsequent Ion milling etches read
lead metal, MTJ as shown in FIGS. 15E and 16D.
[0048] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident
that the various modification and changes can be made to these
embodiments without departing from the broader spirit of the
invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be
regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive
sense.
* * * * *