Spin-orbit torque MRAM structure and manufacture thereof

US11723283B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Minrui Yu · Madison, US
• Wenhui Wang · Clifton Park, US
• Jaesoo Ahn · San Jose, US
• Jong Mun Kim · San Jose, US
• Sahil Patel · Fremont, US
• Lin Xue · San Diego, US
• Chando Park · San Diego, US
• Mahendra Pakala · San Jose, US
• Chentsau Chris Ying · Cupertino, US
• Huixiong Dai · San Jose, US
• Christopher S. Ngai · Burlingame, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 11, 2020
• Grant date: Aug 8, 2023
• Expiry date: May 23, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N52/80
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include spin-orbit torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (SOT-MRAM) devices and methods of manufacture thereof. The SOT-MRAM devices described herein include an SOT layer laterally aligned with a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and formed over a trench in an interconnect. Thus, the presence of the SOT layer outside the area of the MTJ stack is eliminated, and electric current passes from the interconnect to the SOT layer by SOT-interconnect overlap. The devices and methods described herein reduce the formation of shunting current and enable the MTJ to self-align with the SOT layer in a single etching process.