Reduced process degradation of spin torque magnetoresistive random access memory
First Claim
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1. A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
- forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ comprising a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the reference layer and the free layer; and
depositing a stoichiometric Si3N4 encapsulating layer directly on a top surface of the free layer and directly on sidewalls of the MTJ by physical sputtering of a target material onto the MTJ to form a silicon nitride film comprising stoichiometric Si3N4, the physical sputtering being performed with N2 and Ar gases, at a temperature in a range from about 20 to about 25°
C., a power in a range from about 150 to 1000 Watts (W), and at a deposition rate in a range from about 8 Å
ngstrom/min (Å
/min) to about 20 Å
/min,wherein the silicon nitride film comprising stoichiometric Si3N4 forms a final film on the top surface of the free layer and the sidewalls of the MTJ.
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Abstract
A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ including a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the reference layer and the free layer; and depositing an encapsulating layer on and along sidewalls of the MTJ by physical sputtering or ablation of a target material onto the MTJ.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
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forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ comprising a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the reference layer and the free layer; and depositing a stoichiometric Si3N4 encapsulating layer directly on a top surface of the free layer and directly on sidewalls of the MTJ by physical sputtering of a target material onto the MTJ to form a silicon nitride film comprising stoichiometric Si3N4, the physical sputtering being performed with N2 and Ar gases, at a temperature in a range from about 20 to about 25°
C., a power in a range from about 150 to 1000 Watts (W), and at a deposition rate in a range from about 8 Å
ngstrom/min (Å
/min) to about 20 Å
/min,wherein the silicon nitride film comprising stoichiometric Si3N4 forms a final film on the top surface of the free layer and the sidewalls of the MTJ. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
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forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ comprising a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the reference layer and the free layer; and depositing an encapsulating layer comprising pure aluminum directly on a top surface of the free layer and directly on sidewalls of the MTJ by using an ion beam source to ablate an aluminum target material onto the MTJ; and exposing the encapsulating layer to pure oxygen to fully oxidize the encapsulating layer and form Al2O3. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification