METHOD FOR FORMING PATTERNS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MAGNETIC MEMORY DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20170062709A1
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gwang-Hyun Baek, Inho Kim, Jong-Kyu Kim, Jung-Ik Oh, Sang-Kuk Kim
• Inventors: KIM, Sang-Kuk, KIM, Jong-Kyu, PARK, Jongchul, KIM, Inho, BAEK, Gwang-Hyun, OH, Jung-Ik
• Granted Patent: US 9,876,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/85 Magnetic active materials

Abstract

A method for forming a pattern, the method including forming an etch target layer on a substrate; patterning the etch target layer to form patterns; and performing a pre-oxidation trim process a plurality of times, the pre-oxidation trim process including performing an oxidation process to form an insulating layer on a sidewall of each of the patterns; and performing a sputter etch process to remove at least a portion of the insulating layer.

Claims

1. A method for forming a pattern, the method comprising:

forming an etch target layer on a substrate;

patterning the etch target layer to form patterns; and

performing a pre-oxidation trim process a plurality of times,

the pre-oxidation trim process including;

performing an oxidation process to form an insulating layer on a sidewall of each of the patterns; and

performing a sputter etch process to remove at least a portion of the insulating layer.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sputter etch process is performed in such a way that a portion of the insulating layer remains.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a remaining portion of the insulating layer covers the sidewall of each of the patterns.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an etch by-product generated by patterning the etch target layer is re-deposited on the sidewall of each of the patterns to form a re-deposited layer, and

at least a portion of the re-deposited layer is oxidized to form the insulating layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the re-deposited layer is removed whenever the pre-oxidation trim process is performed.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pre-oxidation trim process is repeatedly performed until the re-deposited layer is removed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of each of the patterns is oxidized to form the insulating layer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the patterning of the etch target layer includes performing a first sputter etch process irradiating a first ion beam to the substrate, and

the sputter etch process included in the pre-oxidation trim process is a second sputter etch process irradiating a second ion beam to the substrate.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein incident energy of the second ion beam is less than incident energy of the first ion beam.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an angle between the second ion beam and a top surface of the substrate is smaller than an angle between the first ion beam and the top surface of the substrate.

4. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for manufacturing a magnetic memory device, the method comprising:

forming a magnetic tunnel junction layer on a substrate;

patterning the magnetic tunnel junction layer to form magnetic tunnel junction patterns; and

performing a pre-oxidation trim process a plurality of times,

the pre-oxidation trim process including;

performing an oxidation process to form an insulating layer on a sidewall of each of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns; and

performing a sputter etch process to remove at least a portion of the insulating layer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

an etch by-product generated by patterning the magnetic tunnel junction layer is re-deposited on the sidewall of each of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns to form a re-deposited layer, and

at least a portion of the re-deposited layer is oxidized to form the insulating layer.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

at least a portion of the re-deposited layer is removed whenever the pre-oxidation trim process is performed, and

the pre-oxidation trim process is repeatedly performed until the re-deposited layer is removed.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the forming of the magnetic tunnel junction layer includes sequentially depositing a first magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a second magnetic layer,

an intermixing layer is formed on the sidewall of each of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns by patterning the magnetic tunnel junction layer,

the intermixing layer includes materials that are included in the first magnetic layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the second magnetic layer, respectively, and

at least a portion of the intermixing layer is oxidized to form the insulating layer.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the intermixing layer is removed by the pre-oxidation trim process.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the pre-oxidation trim process is repeatedly performed until the intermixing layer is removed.

23. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the patterning of the magnetic tunnel junction layer includes irradiating a first ion beam to the substrate,

performing the sputter etch process of the pre-oxidation trim process includes irradiating a second ion beam to the substrate, and

incident energy of the second ion beam is less than incident energy of the first ion beam.

16. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

24. A method for manufacturing a device, the method comprising:

separating magnetic tunnel junction patterns from each other;

oxidizing remaining metal material on sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns after the separating; and

trimming oxidized metal material from the sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the separating includes a first sputtering process using argon ions; and

trimming the oxidized metal material from the sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns includes a second sputtering process including use of argon ions.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein oxidizing the metal material that remains on the sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns after the separating and then trimming the oxidized metal material from the sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction patterns is repeated at least once.