Methods for forming structures with desired crystallinity for MRAM applications
US11245069B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 2016 |
| Grant date | Feb 8, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N50/85
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate in for spin-transfer-torque magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) applications. In one embodiment, the method includes patterning a film stack having a tunneling barrier layer disposed between a magnetic reference layer and a magnetic storage layer disposed on a substrate to remove a portion of the film stack from the substrate until an upper surface of the substrate is exposed, forming a sidewall passivation layer on sidewalls of the patterned film stack and subsequently performing a thermal annealing process to the film stack.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.