One mask Pt/PCMO/Pt stack etching process for RRAM applications

1. A one-mask etching method for use with a perovskite-containing RRAM to reduce stack side-wall residuals, comprising:

preparing a substrate;

depositing a bottom electrode on the substrate;

depositing a perovskite layer on the bottom electrode;

depositing a top electrode on the perovskite layer;

depositing a hard mask on the top electrode;

depositing and patterning a photoresist layer on the hard mask;

etching the hard mask;

etching the top electrode using a first etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar, O 2 , and Cl 2 ;

etching the perovskite layer using an etching process taken from the group of etching processes consisting of the first etching process and a second etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar and O 2 ;

etching the bottom electrode using the first etching process; and

completing the RRAM device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first etching process includes using a C-containing gas taken from the group of C-containing gases consisting of Cl 2 , BCl 3 , CCl 4 , and SiCl 4 , or their combinations; a percentage of Ar in the gas chemistry is in the range of between about 5% to 80%, with a preferred range of between about 40% to 80%; a percentage of oxygen in the gas chemistry in the range of between about 1% to 50%, with a preferred range of between about 5% to 30%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said depositing a bottom electrode includes depositing a bottom electrode taken from the group of electrode materials consisting of noble metals and their oxides, and which further includes using the first etching process to etch a final portion of the perovskite layer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second etching process includes a percentage of Ar of between about 50% to 90%; and a percentage of O 2 of between about 10% to 50%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

5. The method of claim 4 which further includes depositing an etch stop layer on the bottom electrode and wherein said etching the perovskite layer includes etching a final portion of the perovskite layer using the second etching process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said etching of the perovskite layer includes a multi-step etching process, and wherein the first etching process is alternated with the second etching process.

7. The method of claim 1 which further includes, after preparation of the substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, and wherein said deposition of the bottom electrode includes deposition of the bottom electrode on the barrier layer.

8. The method of claim 1 which further includes, after deposition of the top electrode, depositing an adhesion layer on the top electrode; and wherein said deposition of the hard mask includes deposition of the hard mask on the adhesion layer.

9. The method of claim 1 which further includes leaving the hard mask in the RRAM device.

10. A one-mask etching method for use with a PCMO-containing RRAM to reduce stack side-wall residuals, comprising:

preparing a substrate, taken from the group of substrates consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide and polysilicon;

depositing a bottom electrode on the substrate;

depositing a PCMO layer on the bottom electrode;

depositing a top electrode on the PCMO layer;

depositing a hard mask on the top electrode;

depositing and patterning a photoresist layer on the hard mask;

etching the hard mask;

etching the top electrode using a first etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar, O 2 , and Cl 2 ;

etching the PCMO layer using an etching process taken from the group of etching processes consisting of the first etching process and a second etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar and O 2 ;

etching the bottom electrode using the first etching process; and

completing the RRAM device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first etching process includes using a C-containing gas taken from the group of C-containing gases consisting of Cl 2 , BCl 3 , CCl 4 , and SiCl 4 , or their combinations; a percentage of Ar in the gas chemistry is in the range of between about 5% to 80%, with a preferred range of between about 40% to 80%; a percentage of oxygen in the gas chemistry in the range of between about 1% to 50%, with a preferred range of between about 5% to 30%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said depositing a bottom electrode includes depositing a bottom electrode taken from the group of electrode materials consisting of noble metals and their oxides, and which further includes using the first etching process to etch a final portion of the perovskite layer.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the second etching process includes a percentage of Ar of between about 50% to 90%; and a percentage of O 2 of between about 10% to 50%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

14. The method of claim 13 which further includes depositing an etch stop layer on the bottom electrode and wherein said etching the perovskite layer includes etching a final portion of the perovskite layer using the second etching process.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said etching of the perovskite layer includes a multi-step etching process, and wherein the first etching process is alternated with the second etching process.

16. The method of claim 10 which further includes, after preparation of the substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, and wherein said deposition of the bottom electrode includes deposition of the bottom electrode on the barrier layer.

17. The method of claim 10 which further includes, after deposition of the top electrode, depositing an adhesion layer on the top electrode; and wherein said deposition of the hard mask includes deposition of the hard mask on the adhesion layer.

18. The method of claim 10 which further includes leaving the hard mask in the RRAM device.

19. A one-mask etching method for use with a PCMO-containing RRAM to reduce stack side-wall residuals, comprising:

preparing a substrate, taken from the group of substrates consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide and polysilicon;

depositing a bottom electrode on the substrate, wherein the material for the bottom electrode is taken from the group of electrode materials consisting of Pt, Ir, Ru, IrO 2 , RuO 2 and Y x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-x ;

depositing a PCMO layer on the bottom electrode;

depositing a top electrode on the PCMO layer, wherein the top electrode is formed of material taken from the group of electrode materials consisting of Pt, Ir, Ru, and their conducting oxides;

depositing a hard mask on the top electrode, wherein the hard mask is formed of material taken from the group of materials consisting of TiN, TiO 2 , Ta, TaN, TiAlN, TaAlN, TiSiN, TaSiN, and TiAl;

depositing and patterning a photoresist layer on the hard mask;

etching the hard mask;

etching the top electrode using a first etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar, O 2 , and Cl 2 ;

etching the PCMO layer using an etching process taken from the group of etching processes consisting of the first etching process and a second etching process having an etching atmosphere consisting of Ar and O 2 ;

etching the bottom electrode using the first etching process; and

completing the RRAM device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first etching process includes using a C-containing gas taken from the group of C-containing gases consisting of Cl 2 , BCl 3 , CCl 4 , and SiCl 4 , or their combinations; a percentage of Ar in the gas chemistry is in the range of between about 5% to 80%, with a preferred range of between about 40% to 80%; a percentage of oxygen in the gas chemistry in the range of between about 1% to 50%, with a preferred range of between about 5% to 30%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said depositing a bottom electrode includes depositing a bottom electrode taken from the group of electrode materials consisting of noble metals and their oxides, and which further includes using the first etching process to etch a final portion of the perovskite layer.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the second etching process includes a percentage of Ar of between about 50% to 90%; and a percentage of O 2 of between about 10% to 50%; at a total gas flow rate of between about 20 sccm to 100 sccm, with a preferred rate of between about 40 sccm to 70 sccm; at a chamber pressure of between about 1 mtorr to 50 mtorr, with a preferred pressure of between about 3 mtorr. to 10 mtorr; an etching microwave power of between about 400 W to 1000 W, and a substrate RF bias power of between about 10 W to 1000 W; a substrate temperature in the range of between about −50° C. to 500° C.

23. The method of claim 22 which further includes depositing an etch stop layer on the bottom electrode and wherein said etching the perovskite layer includes etching a final portion of the perovskite layer using the second etching process.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said etching of the PCMO layer includes a multi-step etching process, and wherein the first etching process is alternated with the second etching process.

25. The method of claim 19 which further includes, after preparation of the substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, and wherein said deposition of the bottom electrode includes deposition of the bottom electrode on the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is formed of material taken from the group of materials consisting of Ta, TaN, Ti, TiN, TiAlN, TaAlN, TiSiN, TaSiN, TiAl, and TiAlN.

26. The method of claim 19 which further includes, after deposition of the top electrode, depositing an adhesion layer on the top electrode; and wherein said deposition of the hard mask includes deposition of the hard mask on the adhesion layer, wherein the adhesion layer is formed of Ti; and which further includes leaving the hard mask in the RRAM device.