METHOD FOR FORMING SLOT VIA BITLINE FOR MRAM DEVICES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, comprising:
- a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed over a lower wiring level;
a hardmask formed on said MTJ stack;
an upper wiring level formed over said hardmask, said upper wiring level comprising a slot via bitline formed therein, said slot via bitline in contact with said hardmask and in contact with an etch stop layer at least partially surrounding sidewalls of said hardmask, wherein said etch stop layer comprises a material that is selectively etched with respect to said hardmask layer;
a conductive lateral strap upon which said MTJ stack is formed;
a strap via connecting said strap to a first conductor within said lower wiring level;
a logic via formed on a second conductor within said lower level in a peripheral portion of the device; and
an upper level logic wiring conductor in contact with said logic via.
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Abstract
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed over a lower wiring level, a hardmask formed on the MTJ stack, and an upper wiring level formed over the hardmask. The upper wiring level includes a slot via bitline formed therein, the slot via bitline in contact with the hardmask and in contact with an etch stop layer partially surrounding sidewalls of the hardmask.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, comprising:
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a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack formed over a lower wiring level; a hardmask formed on said MTJ stack; an upper wiring level formed over said hardmask, said upper wiring level comprising a slot via bitline formed therein, said slot via bitline in contact with said hardmask and in contact with an etch stop layer at least partially surrounding sidewalls of said hardmask, wherein said etch stop layer comprises a material that is selectively etched with respect to said hardmask layer; a conductive lateral strap upon which said MTJ stack is formed; a strap via connecting said strap to a first conductor within said lower wiring level; a logic via formed on a second conductor within said lower level in a peripheral portion of the device; and an upper level logic wiring conductor in contact with said logic via.
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2. A method for forming a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
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forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack over a lower wiring level; forming a hardmask on said MTJ stack; and forming an upper wiring level over said hardmask, said upper wiring level comprising a slot via bitline formed therein, said slot via bitline in contact with said hardmask and in contact with an etch stop layer at least partially surrounding sidewalls of said hardmask. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for forming a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
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forming, in an array portion of the device, a strap via over a first conductor in a lower wiring level, and forming, in a peripheral portion of the device, a conductive landing area over a second conductor in said lower wiring level; forming a metal strap over said strap via; forming a patterned magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack over said metal strap, said MTJ stack having a patterned hardmask formed thereupon; forming an etch stop layer upon said conductive landing area, said strap layer, and said hardmask; forming a first dielectric layer on said etch stop layer, exposing a first portion of said etch stop layer, and selectively etching said first portion of said etch stop layer so as to expose said hardmask; forming a second dielectric layer upon said first dielectric layer and said hardmask; patterning and etching a slot via bitline opening over said hardmask, and patterning and etching a logic via opening over said conductive landing area, said slot via bitline opening and said logic via opening formed within said first and second dielectric layers; extending said logic via opening to etch through a second portion of said etch stop layer so as to expose said conductive landing area; patterning an upper level logic wiring trench over said logic via while masking said slot via bitline opening; and filling said slot via bitline, said logic via and said upper level logic wiring trench with conductive metal.
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Specification