Patent · US Expired

MTJ read head with sidewall spacers

US7241632B2 · kind B2 · utility

56Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateApr 14, 2005
Grant dateJul 10, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 24, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N50/01

Abstract

Following CMP, a magnetic tunnel junction stack may protrude through the oxide that surrounds it, making it susceptible to possible shorting to its sidewalls. The present invention overcomes this problem by depositing silicon nitride spacers on these sidewalls prior to oxide deposition and CMP. So, even though the stack may protrude through the top surface of the oxide after CMP, the spacers serve to prevent possible later shorting to the stack.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.