Hybrid film for protecting MTJ stacks of MRAM
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- patterning a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers to form a MTJ stack;
forming a first dielectric cap layer over a top surface and on a sidewall of the MTJ stack, wherein the first dielectric cap layer is formed using radical shower chemical vapor deposition (RSCVD), wherein the step of patterning and the step of forming the first dielectric cap layer are in-situ formed in a same vacuum environment; and
forming a second dielectric cap layer over and contacting the first dielectric cap layer, wherein the second dielectric cap layer is formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), wherein the first dielectric cap layer and the second dielectric cap layer are formed of a same dielectric material, and a first density of the first dielectric cap layer is different from a second density of the second dielectric cap layer.
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Abstract
A method includes patterning a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers to form a MTJ stack, and forming a first dielectric cap layer over a top surface and on a sidewall of the MTJ stack. The step of patterning and the step of forming the first dielectric cap layer are in-situ formed in a same vacuum environment. A second dielectric cap layer is formed over and contacting the first dielectric cap layer.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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patterning a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers to form a MTJ stack; forming a first dielectric cap layer over a top surface and on a sidewall of the MTJ stack, wherein the first dielectric cap layer is formed using radical shower chemical vapor deposition (RSCVD), wherein the step of patterning and the step of forming the first dielectric cap layer are in-situ formed in a same vacuum environment; and forming a second dielectric cap layer over and contacting the first dielectric cap layer, wherein the second dielectric cap layer is formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), wherein the first dielectric cap layer and the second dielectric cap layer are formed of a same dielectric material, and a first density of the first dielectric cap layer is different from a second density of the second dielectric cap layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method comprising:
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patterning a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers to form a MTJ stack; forming a first silicon nitride layer over a top surface and on a sidewall of the MTJ stack using radical shower chemical vapor deposition (RSCVD), wherein the step of patterning and the step of forming the first silicon nitride layer are in-situ formed in a same vacuum environment, with no vacuum break occurring; and forming a second silicon nitride layer over and contacting the first silicon nitride layer using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), wherein the second silicon nitride layer has a higher density than the first silicon nitride layer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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patterning a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers to form a MTJ stack; forming a first dielectric cap layer over a top surface and on a sidewall of the MTJ stack using radical shower chemical vapor deposition (RSCVD), wherein the patterning and the forming the first dielectric cap layer are in-situ formed in a same vacuum environment; forming a second dielectric cap layer over and contacting the first dielectric cap layer using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD); forming a top metal over the MTJ stack, wherein the top metal and the MTJ layers are patterned using a same mask, and wherein the top metal is under the first and the second dielectric cap layers; forming an oxide layer over and contacting the second dielectric cap layer; and etching the oxide layer and the first and the second dielectric cap layers to expose the top metal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification