Method of forming magnetoresistive junctions in manufacturing MRAM cells

US7334317B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE
• Altis Semiconductor · FR

Inventor

• Philippe Blanchard · Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 2005
• Grant date: Feb 26, 2008
• Expiry date: Nov 30, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/49052

Abstract

A method of forming a magnetoresistive junction in a process of manufacturing a magnetoresistive memory cell includes providing a semiconductor substrate having at least one via contact layer on a main surface thereof, depositing a layered structure of magnetoresistive junction layers on the via contact layer, depositing an etch stop layer on the layered structure of magnetoresistive junction layers, depositing at least one hard mask layer on the etch stop layer, patterning and etching the hard mask layer to create a hard mask, removing of polymer residuals from the hard mask, etching of the etch stop layer, and etching the layered structure of magnetoresistive junction layers to create the magnetoresistive junction. The etching stops at the etch stop layer.