Method of fabricating a magnetic random access memory

US6153443A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Motorola, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mark Durlam · Chandler, US
• Gloria Kerszykowski · Fountain Hills, US
• Jon Slaughter · Tempe, US
• Eugene Chen · Gilbert, US
• Saied N. Tehrani · Tempe, US
• Kelly Kyler · Mesa, US
• X. Theodore Zhu · Chandler, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 21, 1998
• Grant date: Nov 28, 2000
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10B69/00
• WIPO field: Micro-structural and nano-technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An improved and novel fabrication method for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is provided. An MRAM device has memory elements and circuitry for managing the memory elements. The circuitry includes transistor (12a), digit line (29), etc., which are integrated on a substrate (11). The circuitry is fabricated first under the CMOS process and then magnetic memory elements (53, 54). A dielectric layer (40, 41) is deposited on the circuit, and trenches (42, 43) are formed in the dielectric layer. A blanket layer (46), which includes magnetic layers (48, 49) and a non-magnetic layer (50) sandwiched by the magnetic layers, is deposited on dielectric layer (41) and in the trenches. Then, the blanket layer outside the trenches is removed and MRAM elements (53, 54) are formed in the trenches.