IP Library Granted Patent US 10,748,962
Granted Patent B2
US 10,748,962 · App. 15/960,670 · Granted Aug 18, 2020

Method and structure for forming MRAM device

Inventors: Soon-Cheon Seo (Glenmont, NY); Seyoung Kim (White Plains, NY); Injo Ok (Loudonville, NY); Choonghyun Lee (Rensselaer, NY); Kisup Chung (Slingerlands, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H01L27/226H01L43/02H01L43/08H01L43/10H01L43/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,748,962
App. No.
15/960,670
Granted
Aug 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of forming a bottom electrode for MRAM comprises: depositing a conductive material into a trench in a substrate and planarizing; depositing a selective cap on the conductive material; depositing a layer of high stress material on upper surfaces of the substrate and the cap; patterning the high stress material to remove the layer of high stress material on the upper surfaces of the substrate and leaving the layer of high stress material on the upper surfaces of the cap; depositing a layer of dielectric material on the upper surfaces of the substrate and on upper surfaces of the high stress material on the cap; planarizing the layer of dielectric material; and forming a magnetic tunnel junction stack on the dielectric material over the conductive material.

Claims (16)

1. A method of foaming a bottom electrode with a metal cap for MRAM, the method comprising:

depositing a conductive material into a trench in a substrate and planarizing;

depositing a metal cap into the trench and on the conductive material;

depositing a layer of high stress material on upper surfaces of the substrate and on the metal cap;

patterning the high stress material;

etching to selectively remove the layer of high stress material from the upper surfaces of the substrate and from a first portion of the metal cap and leaving the layer of high stress material on a second portion of the metal cap;

depositing a layer of dielectric material on the upper surfaces of the substrate and on upper surfaces of the high stress material on the metal cap;

planarizing the layer of dielectric material; and

forming a magnetic tunnel junction stack on the dielectric material over the conductive material.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming diffusion barriers between the substrate and the sides and bottom of the conductive material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of high stress material on upper surfaces of the substrate and the metal cap is deposited to a thickness of about 30 nm to about 60 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the etching of the layer of high stress material comprises patterning the layer of high stress material and using an anisotropic reactive ion etch.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is a non-ferromagnetic back-end-of-line metal material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the non-ferromagnetic back-end-of-line metal material is one or more of copper and tungsten.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the metal cap on the conductive material in the trench is ruthenium.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the layer of high stress material on upper surfaces of the substrate and the metal cap is one or more of TaN, TiN, tungsten, and ruthenium.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2018
From: SEO, SOON-CHEON; KIM, SEYOUNG; OK, INJO; LEE, CHOONGHYUN; CHUNG, KISUP
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045618/0388 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190326354A1 · Oct 24, 2019