Fabrication and Integration of Devices with Top and Bottom Electrodes Including Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

• US 20110127626A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kang, Seung H., Li, Xia
• Granted Patent: US 8,455,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/421
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3254 the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/307 insulating or semiconductive spacer
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/00 Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

An electronic device manufacturing process includes depositing a bottom electrode layer. Then an electronic device is fabricated on the bottom electrode layer. Patterning of the bottom electrode layer is performed after fabricating the electronic device and in a separate process from patterning a top electrode. A first dielectric layer is then deposited on the electronic device and the bottom electrode layer followed by a top electrode layer. The top electrode is then patterned in a separate process from the bottom electrode. Separately patterning the top and bottom electrodes improves yields by reducing voids in the dielectric material between electronic devices. One electronic device the manufacturing process is well-suited for is magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs).

Claims

1. A electronic device manufacturing process, comprising:

depositing a first electrode layer;

fabricating a magnetic device on the first electrode layer;

patterning the first electrode layer after fabricating the magnetic device;

depositing a first dielectric layer on the magnetic device and the first electrode layer after patterning the first electrode layer;

depositing a second electrode layer after depositing the first dielectric layer; and

patterning the second electrode layer after depositing the second electrode layer.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the magnetic device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising integrating the magnetic tunnel junction into a magnetic random access memory.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprises planarizing the first dielectric layer before depositing the second electrode layer.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

depositing a first capping layer on the magnetic device after fabricating the magnetic device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

etching the first capping layer to expose a surface of the magnetic device after depositing the first capping layer; and

depositing a second capping layer after etching the first capping layer before depositing the first dielectric layer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing a second dielectric layer after patterning the second electrode layer; and

planarizing the second dielectric layer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

patterning an electrical path to the second electrode layer after depositing the second dielectric layer; and

filling the electrical path with a conductive material.

9. The method of claim 8, in which patterning the electrical path comprises patterning a trench.

10. The method of claim 9, in which patterning the electrical path further comprises patterning a via.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising depositing a top capping layer after filling the electrical path.

12. The method of claim 1, in which a same mask produces patterns for patterning the second electrode layer and patterning the first electrode layer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

cleaning the magnetic device after fabricating the magnetic device and before depositing the first dielectric layer; and

depositing a first capping layer on the magnetic device after cleaning the magnetic device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating the magnetic device in at least one of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer.

15. A electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first contact embedded in the substrate;

a patterned first electrode on the substrate and coupled to the first contact;

a patterned electronic device on the patterned first electrode;

a patterned second electrode on the patterned electronic device; and

a trench contacting the patterned second electrode.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising a capping layer on two sides of the patterned electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a second electronic device; and

a first dielectric layer substantially filling space between the electronic device and the second electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising a second dielectric layer on the patterned second electrode in which the trench is patterned.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, in which the electronic device is integrated into at least one of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer.

20. An electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of means for magnetically storing states, each magnetic storing means coupled between a first electrode and a second electrode;

a dielectric layer substantially filling space between the first electrode, the second electrode, and adjacent magnetic storing means; and

means for coupling to the second electrode a surface of the magnetic storing means.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, in which the electronic device is integrated into at least one of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer.

22. An electronic device manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:

depositing a first electrode layer;

fabricating a magnetic device on the first electrode layer;

patterning the first electrode layer after fabricating the magnetic device;

depositing a first dielectric layer on the magnetic device and the first electrode layer after patterning the first electrode layer;

depositing a second electrode layer after depositing the first dielectric layer; and

patterning the second electrode layer after depositing the second electrode layer.

23. The method of claim 22, in which the magnetic device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

depositing a second dielectric layer after patterning the second electrode layer; and

planarizing the second dielectric layer;

patterning an electrical path to the second electrode layer after depositing the second dielectric layer; and

filling the electrical path with a conductive material.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of integrating the magnetic device in at least one of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer.