IP Library Granted Patent US 10,504,958
Granted Patent B2
US 10,504,958 · App. 15/961,157 · Granted Dec 10, 2019

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method of the same

Inventors: Alexander Kalnitsky (San Francisco, CA); Sheng-Huang Huang (Hsinchu, TW); Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang (Paya Lebar Crescent, SG); Jiunyu Tsai (Hsinchu, TW); Hung Cho Wang (Taipei, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
H01L27/226G11C11/161H01F10/3254H01F41/34H01L27/222H01L43/02H01L43/12H01F10/329
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,504,958
App. No.
15/961,157
Granted
Dec 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure. The method includes forming an N th metal layer, forming a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the N th metal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes, forming a top electrode via concaving upward over each of the plurality of MTJs, and forming an (N+M) th metal layer over the plurality of MTJs. A semiconductor structure manufactured according to present disclosure is also provided.

Claims (59)

1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a memory region, comprising:

an N th metal layer;

a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the N th metal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes;

a top electrode via over each of the plurality of MTJs, a periphery of the top electrode via being raised to a higher level than a center of the top electrode via; and

an (N+M) th metal layer over the plurality of MTJs,

wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , further comprising an oxide layer surrounding the plurality of MTJs and supporting a periphery of the top electrode via.

3. The semiconductor structure of claim 2 , further comprising a planarization etch stop layer over the plurality of MTJs.

4. The semiconductor structure of claim 3 , wherein the planarization etch stop layer having a discrete pattern staggering from the plurality of MTJs from a top view perspective.

5. The semiconductor structure of claim 2 , wherein the planarization etch stop layer comprises nitride or oxynitride.

6. The semiconductor structure of claim 2 , further comprising a sidewall spacer laterally contacting each of the plurality of MTJs and the oxide layer.

7. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , further comprising a logic region adjacent to the memory region, the logic region comprising:

the N th metal layer; and

the (N+M) th metal layer having an (N+M) th metal line and an (N+M) th metal via.

8. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising:

forming an N th metal layer;

forming a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the N th metal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes;

forming a top electrode via over each of the plurality of MTJs, a periphery of the top electrode via being raised to a higher level than a center of the top electrode via; and

forming an (N+M) th metal layer over the plurality of MTJs,

wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming a sidewall spacer layer over the plurality of MTJs;

forming an oxide layer over the sidewall spacer layer;

forming a planarization etch stop layer over the oxide layer; and

forming an anti-reflective coating (ARC) over the planarization etch stop layer.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

forming a sacrificial layer before forming the ARC; and

etching back the ARC until the oxide layer being exposed over the plurality of MTJs.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

planarizing the oxide layer over the plurality of MTJs until the oxide layer and the planarization etch stop layer being coplanar.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

patterning top electrode via trenches in the oxide layer correspondingly over each of the plurality of MTJs; and

forming a top electrode via layer at least in the top electrode via trenches.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the patterning top electrode via trenches comprises:

removing the oxide layer until an exposure of the sidewall spacer layer; and

removing the sidewall spacer layer until an exposure of a top electrode of one of the plurality of MTJs.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the forming the top electrode via layer comprises contacting the top electrode via layer with a top surface and a sidewall of a top electrode of one of the plurality of MTJs.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

patterning the top electrode via layer until an exposure of the planarization etch stop layer.

16. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising:

forming an N th metal layer in a memory region and a periphery region, the periphery region spanning a wider area than the memory region;

forming a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the N th metal layer in the memory region, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes;

forming a top electrode via concaving upward over each of the plurality of MTJs in the memory region; and

forming an (N+M) th metal layer in the memory region and the periphery region,

wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

forming a sidewall spacer layer in the memory region and the periphery region over and the plurality of MTJs;

forming an oxide layer over the sidewall spacer layer in the memory region and the periphery region;

forming a planarization etch stop layer over the oxide layer in the memory region and the periphery region; and

forming an anti-reflective coating (ARC) over the planarization etch stop layer in the memory region and the periphery region.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

forming a sacrificial layer in the memory region and the periphery region before forming the ARC; and

etching back the ARC until the oxide layer being exposed only in the memory region while the sacrificial layer remaining in the periphery region.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

planarizing the oxide layer over the plurality of MTJs until the oxide layer and the planarization etch stop layer being coplanar in the memory region and until an exposure of the planarization etch back layer in the periphery region.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

patterning top electrode via trenches in the oxide layer of the memory region; and

forming a top electrode via layer over the memory region and the periphery region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 16, 2018
From: KALNITSKY, ALEXANDER; HUANG, SHENG-HUANG; CHUANG, HARRY-HAK-LAY; TSAI, JIUNYU; WANG, HUNG CHO
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
Reel/Frame 047183/0206 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62583313 · Nov 8, 2017
Related Publication 20190140018A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (3)
US 12,219,881 US 12,336,437 US 12,707,897