Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Jiunyu Tsai

Hung Cho Wang

Sheng-Huang Huang

Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang

Tsun Chung Tu

Ming-Che Ku

Alexander Kalnitsky

Wen-Chun You

Sheng-Chang Chen

Chen-Pin Hsu

Some embodiments relate to an integrated chip having a memory cell overlying a substrate and comprising a top electrode. A top electrode via overlies the top electrode. A width of an upper surface of the top electrode via is greater than a width of an upper surface of the top electrode. A conductive via overlies the top electrode via. A width of an upper surface of the conductive via is greater than the width of the upper surface of the top electrode via.

Techniques for MRAM MTJ top electrode connection

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a memory device surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The memory device includes a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect. A top electrode via couples the top electrode to an upper interconnect. A bottommost surface of the top electrode via is directly over the top electrode and has a first width that is smaller than a second width of a bottommost surface of the bottom electrode via.

Memory cell with top electrode via

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate and an interconnect structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes metal layers that are stacked over one another with dielectric layers disposed between. The metal layers include a lower metal layer and an upper metal layer disposed over the lower metal layer. A bottom electrode is disposed over and in electrical contact with the lower metal layer. A magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) is disposed over an upper surface of bottom electrode. A top electrode is disposed over an upper surface of the MTJ. A sidewall spacer surrounds an outer periphery of the top electrode. Less than an entirety of a top electrode surface is in direct electrical contact with a metal via connected to the upper metal layer.

Techniques for MRAM MTJ top electrode to via interface

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a magnetic tunnel junction arranged between a bottom electrode and a top electrode and surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The top electrode has a width that decreases as a height of the top electrode increases. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect. An upper interconnect structure is coupled to the top electrode. The upper interconnect structure has a vertically extending surface that is disposed laterally between first and second outermost sidewalls of the upper interconnect structure and along a sidewall of the top electrode. The vertically extending surface and the first outermost sidewall are connected to a bottom surface of the upper interconnect structure that is vertically below a top of the top electrode.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes an Nmetal layer in a memory region and a periphery region, the periphery region spanning a wider area than the memory region, a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the Nmetal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes, a top electrode via over each of the plurality of MTJs; and an (N+M)metal layer over the plurality of MTJs. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method of the same

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming an ILD layer over a memory device over a substrate. A hard mask structure is formed over the ILD layer and a patterning structure is formed over the hard mask structure. The hard mask structure has sidewalls defining a first opening directly over the memory device and centered along a first line perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate. The patterning structure has sidewalls defining a second opening directly over the memory device and centered along a second line parallel to the first line. The second line is laterally offset from the first line by a non-zero distance. The ILD layer is etched below an overlap of the first and second openings to define a top electrode via hole. The top electrode via hole is with a conductive material.

The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a memory device surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The memory device includes a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A top electrode via couples the top electrode to an upper interconnect wire. A first line is tangent to a first outermost sidewall of the top electrode via and a second line is tangent to an opposing second outermost sidewall of the top electrode via. The first line is oriented at a first angle with respect to a horizontal plane that is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate and the second line is oriented at a second angle with respect to the horizontal plane. The second angle is less than the first angle.

Some embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a memory device. The method includes forming a first masking layer disposed over a dielectric layer, the first masking layer exhibiting sidewalls defining an opening disposed above a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell located in an embedded memory region. A first etch is performed to form a first via opening within the dielectric layer above the MRAM cell. A top electrode via layer formed over the MRAM cell and the dielectric layer. A first planarization process performed on the top electrode via layer to remove part of the top electrode via layer and define a top electrode via having a substantially flat top surface.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure having a memory region. The semiconductor structure includes an Nmetal layer in a memory region and a periphery region, the periphery region spanning a wider area than the memory region, a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the Nmetal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes, a top electrode via over each of the plurality of MTJs; and an (N+M)metal layer over the plurality of MTJs. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Some embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The method includes forming a spacer layer surrounding at least a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layer and a top electrode of the MRAM cell; etching the spacer layer to expose a top surface of the top electrode and a top surface of a spacer formed by the spacer layer; forming an upper etch stop layer over the top electrode top surface and the spacer top surface; and forming an upper metal layer in contact with the top electrode top surface of the MRAM cell. A width of the upper etch stop layer is greater than a width of a bottom surface of the upper metal layer.

Techniques for MRAM MTJ top electrode to metal layer interface including spacer

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The MRAM device includes a magnetic tunnel junction disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect wire. A top electrode via couples the top electrode to an upper interconnect wire. A bottom surface of the top electrode via has a first width that is smaller than a second width of a bottom surface of the bottom electrode via.

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The integrated circuit includes a lower metal layer and an upper metal layer disposed over the lower metal layer. A bottom electrode is disposed over and in electrical contact with the lower metal layer. A magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) is disposed over an upper surface of bottom electrode. A top electrode is disposed over an upper surface of the MTJ and is in contact with the upper metal layer. A sidewall spacer surrounds an outer periphery of the top electrode. An etch stop layer is disposed on top of an outer periphery of the spacer top surface and surrounding an outer periphery of the bottom surface of the upper metal layer. The etch stop layer overhangs the outer periphery of the spacer top surface.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure. The method includes forming an Nmetal layer, forming a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) over the Nmetal layer, the plurality of MTJs having at least one of mixed pitches and mixed sizes, forming a top electrode via concaving upward over each of the plurality of MTJs, and forming an (N+M)metal layer over the plurality of MTJs. A semiconductor structure manufactured according to present disclosure is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Jiunyu Tsai