Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chung-Chiang Min

Shih-Chang Liu

Yuan-Tai Tseng

Fu-Ting Sung

Tsung-Hsueh Yang

Chang-Ming Wu

Chia-Shiung Tsai

Chern-Yow Hsu

Hung Cho Wang

Sheng-Huang Huang

Wei-Hang Huang

Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang

Yao-Wen Chang

Chia-Hua Lin

Sheng-Chang Chen

Kuo-Chyuan Tzeng

Chang-Chih Huang

Yihuei Zhu

A memory device with hard mask insulator and its manufacturing methods are provided. In some embodiments, the memory device includes a memory cell stack disposed over a substrate. The memory cell stack includes a bottom electrode layer, a resistance switching dielectric layer over the bottom electrode layer, and a top electrode layer over the resistance switching dielectric layer. A first insulating layer is disposed over the top electrode layer, and a first metal hard masking layer disposed over the first insulating layer.

Non-volatile memory device and manufacturing technology

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer having a first region and a second region. A bottom electrode is at least partially arranged within the first region of the first dielectric layer. A memory element is over the bottom electrode and a top electrode is over the memory element. A second dielectric layer is over at least the first region of the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer surrounds the memory element and at least a part of the top electrode. A third dielectric layer is over the second region of the first dielectric layer and laterally adjacent to the second dielectric layer. A conductive interconnect is in the third dielectric layer and the second region of the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer has a different non-zero thickness within the first region than within the second region.

Method of forming memory cell

The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip in some embodiments. The integrated chip includes an inter-level dielectric (ILD) laterally surrounding a memory device. One or more sidewall spacers are arranged along opposing sides of the memory device. The one or more sidewall spacers have a bottom surface over a bottom of the memory device. An etch stop layer is disposed on the one or more sidewall spacers and along the opposing sides of the memory device. An upper interconnect is arranged directly over the memory device, a top surface of the one or more sidewall spacers, and an upper surface of the etch stop layer. The upper surface of the etch stop layer is vertically below a top of the memory device.

Etch stop layer for memory device formation

Some embodiments relate to an integrated chip having a bottom dielectric layer overlying a conductive wire. A bottom electrode is disposed within the bottom dielectric layer. A data storage layer overlies the bottom electrode. A top electrode overlies the data storage layer. A top surface of the top electrode is disposed below a top surface of the data storage layer.

Trench formation scheme for programmable metallization cell to prevent metal redeposit

Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a first electrode overlying a substrate. A data storage layer is disposed on the first electrode. A second electrode overlies the data storage layer. A buffer layer is disposed between the data storage layer and the second electrode.

Buffer layer in memory cell to prevent metal redeposition

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip comprising a memory cell. The memory cell is disposed within a dielectric structure that overlies a substrate. The memory cell comprises a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. An upper conductive structure is disposed in the dielectric structure and on the top electrode. The upper conductive structure comprises a protrusion disposed below an upper surface of the top electrode. A sidewall spacer structure is disposed around the memory cell. The sidewall spacer structure comprises a first sidewall spacer layer around the data storage structure and a second sidewall spacer layer abutting the first sidewall spacer layer. The protrusion contacts the second sidewall spacer layer.

Sidewall spacer structure for memory cell

The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip in some embodiments. The integrated chip includes a memory device disposed over a lower interconnect within one or more lower inter-level dielectric (ILD) layers over a substrate. An upper ILD layer laterally surrounds the memory device. An etch stop layer is disposed along a sidewall of the memory device and over an upper surface of the one or more lower ILD layers. An upper interconnect is arranged along opposing sides of the memory device. The upper interconnect rests of an upper surface of the etch stop layer. The upper surface of the etch stop layer is vertically below a top of the memory device.

A memory device includes an array of memory cells overlying a substrate and located in a memory array region. Each of the memory cells includes a bottom electrode, a vertical stack containing a memory element and a top electrode, and dielectric sidewall spacers located on sidewalls of each vertical stack. The bottom electrode comprises a flat-top portion that extends horizontally beyond an outer periphery of the dielectric sidewall spacers. The device also includes a discrete etch stop dielectric layer over each of the memory cells that includes a horizontally-extending portion that extends over the flat-top portion of the bottom electrode. The device also includes metallic cell contact structures that contact a respective subset of the top electrodes and a respective subset of vertically-protruding portions of the discrete etch stop dielectric layer.

Memory device with flat-top bottom electrodes and methods for forming the same

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming a memory cell stack over a substrate. The memory cell stack includes a top electrode. A sidewall spacer structure is formed around the memory cell stack. The sidewall spacer structure includes a first sidewall spacer layer, a second sidewall spacer layer, and a protective sidewall spacer layer sandwiched between the first and second sidewall spacer layers. A dielectric structure is formed over the sidewall spacer structure. A first etch process is performed on the dielectric structure and the second sidewall spacer layer to define an opening above the top electrode. The second sidewall spacer layer and the dielectric structure are etched at a higher rate than the protective sidewall spacer layer during the first etch process. A top electrode via is formed within the opening.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including an Nmetal layer, a bottom electrode over the Nmetal layer, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the bottom electrode, a top electrode over the MTJ, and an (N+M)metal layer over the Nmetal layer. N and M are positive integers. The (N+M)metal layer surrounds a portion of a sidewall of the top electrode. A manufacturing method of forming the semiconductor structure is also provided.

Semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing the same

Some embodiments relate to a method for forming a memory device. The method includes forming a lower dielectric layer over a conductive wire. A stack of memory layers is formed within the lower dielectric layer and over the conductive wire. The stack of memory layers comprises a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a data storage layer between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. A removal process is performed on the stack of memory layers to define a programmable metallization cell that comprises the top electrode, the bottom electrode, and the data storage layer. The programmable metallization cell comprises a central region and a peripheral region that extends upwardly from the central region. A top surface of the programmable metallization cell and a top surface of the lower dielectric layer are coplanar.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a lower interconnect disposed within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A memory device includes a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. The bottom electrode is electrically coupled to the lower interconnect. A sidewall spacer includes an interior sidewall that continuously extends from along an outermost sidewall of the top electrode to below an outermost sidewall of the bottom electrode. The sidewall spacer further includes an outermost sidewall that extends from a bottom surface of the sidewall spacer to above a top of the bottom electrode.

Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a first electrode overlying a substrate. A data storage layer overlies the first electrode. A second electrode overlies the data storage layer. A conductive bridge is selectively formable within the data storage layer to couple the first electrode to the second electrode. An active metal layer is disposed between the data storage layer and the second electrode. A buffer layer is disposed between the active metal layer and the second electrode. The buffer layer has a lower reactivity to oxygen than the active metal layer.

A memory cell with hard mask insulator and its manufacturing methods are provided. In some embodiments, a memory cell stack is formed over a substrate having a bottom electrode layer, a resistance switching dielectric layer over the bottom electrode layer, and a top electrode layer over the resistance switching dielectric layer. A first insulating layer is formed over the top electrode layer. A first metal hard masking layer is formed over the first insulating layer. Then, a series of etch is performed to pattern the first metal hard masking layer, the first insulating layer, the top electrode layer and the resistance switching dielectric layer to form a first metal hard mask, a hard mask insulator, a top electrode, and a resistance switching dielectric.

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Zhubei, Taiwan

Chung-Chiang Min