Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Kuo-Chyuan Tzeng

Chen-Jong Wang

Kuo-Chi Tu

Hsiang-Fan Lee

Chang-Chih Huang

Chung-Wei Chang

Wen-Chuan Chiang

Jui-Yu Pan

Dennis Sinitsky

Luan Conn Tran

Kuo-Ching Huang

Yuan-Tai Tseng

Min-Hsiung Chiang

Tse-Liang Ying

Ming-Hsiang Chiang

Lee-Chuan Tseng

Hsiao-Hui Tseng

Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang

Chung-Chiang Min

Chun-Yao Chen

Yu-Wen Wang

Tsung-Hao Yeh

Wen-Cheng Chen

Wen-Jye Chung

Ying-Hua Chen

Chung-Yi Chen

Yihuei Zhu

Jian-Yu Shen

Fu-Ting Sung

Yu-Wei Ting

Chu-Yun Fu

Tsung-Hsueh Yang

Kuo-Pin Chang

Han-Yu Chen

Wan-Chen Chen

Hsien-Yuan Chang

Kevin Chiang

Kao-Chao Lin

C Y Shen

Wen-Chaun Chiang

Chi-Hsing Lo

Min-Hsiang Chiang

Chin-Yang Chang

Yi-Tzu Lin

A dielectric isolation layer having a top surface may be formed over a substrate. A heater line, a phase change material (PCM) line, and an in-process conductive barrier plate may be formed over the dielectric isolation layer. An electrode material layer may be formed over the in-process conductive barrier plate. The electrode material layer and the in-process conductive barrier plate may be patterned such that patterned portions of the in-process conductive barrier plate include a first conductive barrier plate contacting a first area of a top surface of the PCM line, and a second conductive barrier plate contacting a second area of the top surface of the PCM line, and patterned portions of the electrode material layer include a first electrode contacting the first conductive barrier plate and a second electrode contacting the second conductive barrier plate.

Planarization-less phase change material switch

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated chip including a first conductive interconnect structure overlying a substrate. A first memory stack is disposed on the first conductive interconnect structure. A second conductive interconnect structure overlies the first memory stack. The second conductive interconnect structure is spaced laterally between opposing sidewalls of the first conductive interconnect structure. A third conductive interconnect structure is disposed on the first conductive interconnect structure. A top surface of the third conductive interconnect structure is vertically above the second conductive interconnect structure.

Bit line and word line connection for memory array

A dielectric isolation layer having a planar top surface is formed over a substrate. A first electrode and a second electrode are formed over the planar top surface. An insulating matrix layer is formed around the first electrode and the second electrode. A phase change material (PCM) line is formed over the insulating matrix layer. A first end portion of the PCM line contacts a top surface of the first electrode and a second end portion of the PCM line contacts a top surface of the second electrode. A dielectric encapsulation layer is formed on sidewalls of the PCM line and over the PCM line and over a top surface of the insulating matrix layer. A heater line is formed prior to, or after, formation of the PCM line. The heater line underlies the PCM line or overlies the PCM line. A PCM switch device may be provided.

Encapsulated phase change material switch and methods for forming the same

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods for forming conductive lines and conductive sockets using mandrels with turns, as well as the resulting conductive lines and sockets. A conductive socket of the present disclosure may have a top layout with at least one turn and with a width that is substantially the same as that of conductive lines along the at least one turn. Such a top layout may reduce loading during formation of the conductive socket. Conductive lines of the present disclosure may comprise outer conductive lines and inner conductive lines having ends laterally offset from ends of the outer conductive lines along lengths of the conductive lines. Formation of the inner and outer conductive lines using a mandrel with a turn may enlarge a process window while cutting ends of a sidewall spacer structure from which the inner and outer conductive lines are formed.

Layout for reducing loading at line sockets and/or for increasing overlay tolerance while cutting lines

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

Phase change material (PCM) switches and methods of fabrication thereof that provide improved thermal confinement within a phase change material layer. A PCM switch may include a dielectric capping layer between a heater pad and the phase change material layer of the PCM switch that is laterally-confined such opposing sides of the dielectric capping layer the heater pad may form continuous surfaces extending transverse to the signal transmission pathway across the PCM switch. Heat transfer from the heater pad through the dielectric capping layer to the phase change material layer may be predominantly vertical, with minimal thermal dissipation along a lateral direction. The localized heating of the phase change material may improve the efficiency of the PCM switch enabling lower bias voltages, minimize the formation of regions of intermediate resistivity in the PCM switch, and improve the parasitic capacitance characteristics of the PCM switch.

Phase change material switch with improved thermal confinement and methods for forming the same

A phase change memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a phase change region, a first spacer and a second spacer. The second electrode is disposed over the first electrode. The phase change region is disposed between the first and second electrodes. The first spacer laterally covers the phase change region. The second spacer laterally covers the first spacer, and has a thermal conductivity smaller than that of the first spacer.

Phase change memory device and method for manufacturing the same

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a method for forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming a dielectric structure over a substrate. A first conductive wire is formed along the dielectric structure. The first conductive wire extends laterally along a first direction. A memory stack is formed on a top surface of the first conductive wire. A second conductive wire is formed over the memory stack. The second conductive wire extends laterally along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. An upper conductive via is formed on the top surface of the first conductive wire. An upper surface of the upper conductive via is above the second conductive wire.

A method for fabrication of a semiconductor structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure comprises following steps. A first mandrel is formed over a target layer over a substrate, wherein the first mandrel comprises a mandrel island connecting a first mandrel strip and a second mandrel strip. A first spacer is formed along first and second sidewalls of the mandrel island, the first mandrel strip, and the second mandrel strip. The first mandrel is then removed, and the target layer is patterned with the first spacer remains over the target layer. The first mandrel strip and the second mandrel strip are misaligned from one another.

Self-aligned double patterning process and semiconductor structure formed using thereof

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 device includes a first plurality of conductive strips have lengthwise directions in a first direction, a selector array overlapping the first plurality of conductive strips, an electrode array overlapping the selector array, a plurality of memory strips over the electrode array, and a second plurality of conductive strips overlapping the plurality of memory strips. The plurality of memory strips and the second plurality of conductive strips have lengthwise directions in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Memory arrays including continuous line-shaped random access memory strips and method forming same

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes an array overlying a substrate and including multiple memory stacks in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each of the memory stacks includes a data storage structure having a variable resistance. A plurality of word lines are disposed beneath the array and extend along corresponding rows of the array. The word lines are electrically coupled with memory stacks of the array in the corresponding rows. A plurality of upper conductive vias extend from above the array of memory stacks to contact top surfaces of corresponding word lines.

The present disclosure relates to integrated circuit device manufacturing processes. A self-aligned double patterning method is provided. In the method, a lithography process for line cut that determines the locations of line termini is performed after forming a spacer layer alongside the mandrel and prior to stripping the mandrel. The lithographic mask for the line cut is aligned to the mandrel and the spacer layer using a mark made of the mandrel material and the spacer material. Compared to the previous approach where the line cut process is performed after the mandrel removal, in the disclosed approach, the line termini mask is made of the mandrel material and the spacer material, and is more distinguishable compared to a mark made of just the spacer material. Thereby, the methods provide robust photo alignment signal for the line cut photolithography and precise positioning of the line termini mask.

Self-aligned double patterning (SADP) method

A method comprises following steps. A first mandrel is formed over a target layer over a substrate, wherein the first mandrel comprises a mandrel island and a first mandrel strip, the mandrel island comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall perpendicular to the first sidewall, and the first mandrel strip extends from the first sidewall of the mandrel island. A first spacer is formed along the first and second sidewalls of the mandrel island and a sidewall of the first mandrel strip. The first mandrel is removed from the target layer. The target layer is patterned when the first spacer remains over the target layer.

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Chu-Pei, Taiwan

Kuo-Chyuan Tzeng