Methods of manufacturing magnetic tunnel junction devices

1. A method of manufacturing a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device comprising:

forming portions of MTJ pillars including a free magnetic layer;

forming a conformal first insulating layer on the portion of MTJ pillars;

etching the conformal first insulating layer to form first sidewall insulators self-aligned to the MTJ pillars;

forming a first metal layer;

forming a conformal second insulating layer;

etching the conformal second insulating layer to form second sidewall insulators self-aligned to the MTJ pillars; and

selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to further form the MTJ pillars including pillar contacts coupled to the free magnetic layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the static magnetic compensation layer on the free magnetic layer, wherein the static magnetic compensation layer is configured to compensate for one or more parasitic magnetic characteristics proximate the free magnetic layer.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein forming portions of the plurality of MTJ pillars including a free magnetic layer comprises:

forming a hard mask capping layer on the static magnetic compensation layer;

forming a pillar mask on the hard mask capping layer; and

selectively etching the hard mask capping layer and the static magnetic compensation layer exposed by the pillar mask to form the portion of the MTJ pillars.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

forming a reference magnetic layer;

forming a tunneling barrier layer on the reference magnetic layer;

forming the free magnetic layer on the tunneling barrier layer; and

wherein selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to form MTJ pillars further includes selectively etching the tunneling barrier layer and the reference magnetic layer.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

forming a first ferromagnetic layer of a Synthetic Antiferromagnetic (SAF);

forming a first non-magnetic layer of the SAF on the first ferromagnetic layer;

forming the reference magnetic layer on the first non-magnetic layer; and

wherein selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to form MTJ pillars further includes selectively etching the first non-magnetic layer and the first ferromagnetic layer of the SAF.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

forming a seed layer on a substrate; and

forming the first ferromagnetic layer of the SAF on the seed layer.

7. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

forming one or more intermediate capping layers between the static magnetic compensation layer and the hard mask layer.

8. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

forming one or more intermediate capping layers between the free magnetic layer and the static magnetic compensation layer.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more intermediate capping layers include one or more of a Processional Spin Current (PSC) coupling layer, a Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) enhancement layer, and a PSC magnetic layers.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a fill between the MTJ pillars;

forming a conformal stop layer on the MTJ pillars and the fill;

forming a conformal encapsulation layer on the stop layer;

removing the encapsulation layer and planarizing the MTJ pillars and the fill down to the conformal stop layer;

forming a second metal layer on the planarized MTJ pillars and the conformal stop layer;

forming a top contact mask on the second metal layer; and

selectively etching the second metal layer exposed by the top contact mask to form top contacts coupled to the pillar contacts in the MTJ pillars.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein removing the encapsulation layer and planarizing the MTJ pillars and the fill down to the conformal stop layer include Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) the encapsulation layer, the MTJ pillars and fill until the conformal stop on the fill is reached.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the static magnetic compensation layer includes a layer of Cobalt Platinum (CoPt) or Cobalt Iron (CoFe) with a thickness of approximately 0.5-5 nm.

13. A method of manufacturing a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device comprising:

forming portions of MTJ pillars including a free magnetic layer and an exchange spring layer;

forming a conformal first insulating layer;

etching the conformal first insulating layer to form first sidewall insulators self-aligned to the MTJ pillars;

forming a first metal layer;

forming a conformal second insulating layers;

etching the conformal second insulating layer to form second sidewall insulators self-aligned to the MTJ pillars; and

selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to further form the MTJ pillars including pillar contacts coupled to the free magnetic layer.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

forming the exchange spring layer on the free magnetic layer, wherein the exchange spring layer is configured to maintain a magnetic state of the free magnetic layer and assist in a switching of the magnetic state of the free magnetic layer.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein forming the portions of the MTJ pillars including the free magnetic layer and the exchange spring layer comprises:

forming a hard mask capping layer on the exchange spring layer;

forming a pillar mask on the hard mask capping layer; and

selective etching the hard mask capping layer and the exchange spring layer exposed by the pillar mask to form the portions of the MTJ pillars.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a reference magnetic layer;

forming a tunneling barrier layer on the reference magnetic layer;

forming the free magnetic layer on the tunneling barrier layer; and

wherein selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to form MTJ pillars further includes selectively etching the tunneling barrier layer and the reference magnetic layer.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

forming a first ferromagnetic layer of a Synthetic Antiferromagnetic (SAF);

forming a first non-magnetic layer of the SAF on the first ferromagnetic layer;

forming the reference magnetic layer on the first non-magnetic layer; and

wherein selectively etching the first metal layer and the free magnetic layer to form MTJ pillars further includes selectively etching the first non-magnetic layer and the first ferromagnetic layer of the SAF.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

forming a seed layer on a substrate; and

forming the first ferromagnetic layer of the SAF on the seed layer.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the exchange spring layer is magnetically softer than the reference magnetic layer and magnetically harder than the free magnetic layer.

20. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

forming one or more intermediate capping layers between the exchange spring layer and the hard mask layer.

21. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

forming one or more intermediate capping layers between the free magnetic layer and the exchange spring layer.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the one or more intermediate capping layers include one or more of a Processional Spin Current (PSC) coupling layer, a Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) enhancement layer, and a PSC magnetic layers.

23. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

forming a fill between the MTJ pillars;

forming a conformal stop layer on the MTJ pillars and the fill;

forming a conformal encapsulation layer on the stop layer;

removing the encapsulation layer and planarizing the MTJ pillars and the fill down to the conformal stop layer;

forming a second metal layer on the planarized MTJ pillars and the conformal stop layer;

forming a top contact mask on the second metal layer; and

selectively etching the second metal layer exposed by the top contact mask to form top contacts coupled to the pillar contacts in the MTJ pillars.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein removing the encapsulation layer and planarizing the MTJ pillars and the fill down to the conformal stop layer include Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) the encapsulation layer, the MTJ pillars and fill until the conformal stop on the fill is reached.

25. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the exchange spring layer layer includes a layer of Iron Platinum (FePt) or Cobalt Chromium Platinum (CoCrPt) with a thickness of approximately 1-5 nm.