MAGNETIC MEMORY DEVICES
First Claim
1. A spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive memory comprising a control circuitry and at least one memory cell comprising:
- a bottom electrode provided on a surface of a substrate connecting to a VIA of a select transistor;
a patterned MTJ stack consisting of a seed layer provided on the top surface of the bottom electrode, an MTJ multilayer provided on the top surface of the seed layer and a cap layer provided on the top surface of the MTJ multilayer;
a top electrode provided on the surface of the MTJ stack;
a dielectric thermal barrier layer provided on the top surface of the top electrode;
a bit-line VIA provided on the surface of the top electrode and surrounded by the dielectric thermal barrier layer and having a vertical distance away from the MTJ stack;
a bit line provided on the top surface of the dielectric thermal barrier layer and electrically connecting to the bit-line VIA.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A STT-MRAM comprises apparatus and a method of manufacturing a plurality of magnetoresistive memory element having a dielectric thermal buffer layer between a thin top electrode of the MTJ element and a bit line, and a bit-line VIA electrically connecting the top electrode and the bit line having a vertical distance away from the location of the MTJ stack. In a laser thermal annealing, a short wavelength of a laser has a shallow thermal penetration depth and a high thermal resistance from the bit line to the MTJ stack only causes a temperature rise of the MTJ stack being much smaller than that of the bit line. As the temperature of the MTJ element during the laser thermal annealing of bit line copper layer is controlled under 300-degree C., possible damages on MTJ and magnetic property can be avoided.
27 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive memory comprising a control circuitry and at least one memory cell comprising:
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a bottom electrode provided on a surface of a substrate connecting to a VIA of a select transistor; a patterned MTJ stack consisting of a seed layer provided on the top surface of the bottom electrode, an MTJ multilayer provided on the top surface of the seed layer and a cap layer provided on the top surface of the MTJ multilayer; a top electrode provided on the surface of the MTJ stack; a dielectric thermal barrier layer provided on the top surface of the top electrode; a bit-line VIA provided on the surface of the top electrode and surrounded by the dielectric thermal barrier layer and having a vertical distance away from the MTJ stack; a bit line provided on the top surface of the dielectric thermal barrier layer and electrically connecting to the bit-line VIA. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive memory element comprising:
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deposit and pattern a bottom electrode on a surface of a substrate connecting to a VIA of a select transistor; deposit and pattern a MTJ stack consisting of a seed layer, an MTJ multilayer and a cap layer; refill a dielectric layer surrounding the MTJ stack and conduct a CMP process to flatten the top surface; deposit and pattern a top electrode on the surface of the MTJ stack and surrounding dielectric layer; deposit a dielectric thermal barrier layer on the top surface of the top electrode; open a bit-line VIA in the dielectric thermal barrier layer on the surface of the top electrode and having a vertical distance away from the MTJ stack; deposit a seed layer and electroplate a bit line in the bit-line VIA and on the top surface of the dielectric thermal barrier layer; conduct a CMP process to flatten the top surface of the bit line and followed by a deposition of a dielectric protective layer; conduct a pulsed short wavelength laser thermal annealing on the bit line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification