Patent · US Active

Multi-step selective etching for cross-point memory

US7618894B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
6References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 2007
Grant dateNov 17, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 8, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N70/8836
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Multi-step selective etching. Etching an unmasked region associated with each layer of a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising a stack, wherein the unmasked region of each of the plurality of layers is etched while exposed to a temperature, a pressure, a vacuum, using a plurality of etchants, wherein at least one of the plurality of etchants comprises an inert gas and oxygen, wherein the etchant oxidizes the at least one layer that can be oxidized such that the etching stops, the plurality of etchants leaving substantially unaffected a masked region associated with each layer of the plurality of layers, wherein two or more of the plurality of layers comprises a memory stack, and preventing corrosion of at least one of the plurality of layers comprising a conductive metal oxide by supplying oxygen to the stack after etching the unmasked region without breaking the vacuum.

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