Everspin Technologies, Inc.

Everpsin Technologies, Inc.

Sarin A Deshpande

Sanjeev Aggarwal

Kerry Joseph Nagel

Chaitanya Mudivarthi

Thomas Andre

Jon Michael Slaughter

Moazzem Hossain

Jason A Janesky

Jijun Sun

Han-Jong Chia

Kevin M Conley

Nicholas David Rizzo

Hyunwoo Yang

Naganivetha Thiyagarajah

Wenchin Lin

Cong Hai

Santosh Karre

Ahmet Demiray

Shukai Ye

Phillip Lopresti

Moazzern Hossain

A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive stack/structure comprising (a) etching through a second magnetic region to (i) provide sidewalls of the second magnetic region and (ii) expose a surface of a dielectric layer, (b) depositing a first encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region and over a surface of the dielectric layer, (c) thereafter: (i) etching the first encapsulation layer which is disposed over the dielectric layer using a first etch process, and (ii) etching re-deposited material using a second etch process, wherein, after such etching, a portion of the first encapsulation layer remains on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region, (d) etching (i) through the dielectric layer to form a tunnel barrier and provide sidewalls thereof and (ii) etching the first magnetic region to provide sidewalls thereof, and (e) depositing a second encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier and first magnetic region.

Magnetoresistive stack/structure and method of manufacturing same

A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive bit from a magnetoresistive stack includes etching through a first portion of the magnetoresistive stack using a first etch process to form one or more sidewalls. At least a portion of the sidewalls includes redeposited material after the etching. The method also includes modifying at least a portion of the redeposited material on the sidewalls, and etching through a second portion of the magnetoresistive stack after the modifying step. The magnetoresistive stack may include a first magnetic region, an intermediate region disposed over the first magnetic region, and a second magnetic region disposed over the intermediate region.

Method of manufacturing integrated circuit using encapsulation during an etch process

Magnetoresistive device architectures and methods for manufacturing are presented that facilitate integration of process steps associated with forming such devices into standard process flows used for surrounding logic/circuitry. In some embodiments, the magnetoresistive device structures are designed such that the devices are able to fit within the vertical dimensions of the integrated circuit associated with a single metal layer and a single layer of interlayer dielectric material. Integrating the processing for the magnetoresistive devices can include using the same standard interlayer dielectric material as used in the surrounding circuits on the integrated circuit as well as using standard vias to interconnect to at least one of the electrodes of the magnetoresistive devices.

Methods of forming magnetoresistive devices and integrated circuits

Fabrication of a magnetic memory element, including a via () in an interlevel dielectric layer (), providing an electrical connection between an underlying metal region () and a magnetoresistive stack device, such as a magnetic tunnel junction (), involves forming a transition metal layer () in the via by atomic layer deposition. The via optionally includes a tantalum-rich layer () above, and/or a cap layer () below, the transition metal layer, and may have a diameter less than or equal than a diameter of the magnetoresistive stack device.

Methods for manufacturing magnetoresistive stack devices

A magnetoresistive stack includes a fixed magnetic region, one or more dielectric layers disposed on and in contact with the fixed magnetic region, and a free magnetic region disposed above the one or mom dielectric layers. The fixed magnetic region may include a first ferromagnetic region, a coupling layer, a second ferromagnetic region, a transition layer disposed, a reference layer, and at least one interfacial layer disposed above the second ferromagnetic region. Another interfacial layer may be disposed between the one or more dielectric layers and the free magnetic region.

Magnetoresistive devices and methods therefor

A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive stack/structure comprising (a) etching through a second magnetic region to (i) provide sidewalls of the second magnetic region and (ii) expose a surface of a dielectric layer, (b) depositing a first encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region and over a surface of the dielectric layer. (c) thereafter: (i) etching the first encapsulation layer which is disposed over the dielectric layer using a first etch process, and (ii) etching re-deposited material using a second etch process, wherein, after such etching, a portion of the first encapsulation layer remains on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region, (d) etching (i) through the dielectric layer to form a tunnel barrier and provide sidewalls thereof and (ii) etching the first magnetic region to provide sidewalls thereof, and (e) depositing a second encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier and first magnetic region.

A magnetoresistive device may include an intermediate region positioned between a magnetically fixed region and a magnetically free region, and spin Hall channel region extending around a sidewall of at least the magnetically free region. An insulator region may extend around a portion of the sidewall such that the insulator region contacts a first portion of the sidewall and the spin Hall channel region contacts a second portion of the sidewall.

Method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device

A magnetoresistive device may include multiple magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stacks separated from each other by one or more dielectric material layers and electrically conductive vias extending through the one more dielectric material layers. Each MTJ stack may include multiple MTJ bits arranged one on top of another and the electrically conductive vias may be configured to electrically access each MTJ bit of the multiple MTJ stacks.

Magnetoresistive stacks and methods therefor

An integrated circuit device includes a memory portion and a logic portion. The memory portion may include a plurality of magnetoresistive devices and the logic portion may include logic circuits. The memory portion may include a plurality of metal conductors separated by a first interlayer dielectric material (ILD), wherein the first ILD is a low-k ILD or an ultra low-k ILD. And, the logic portion may include a plurality of metal conductors separated by a second interlayer dielectric material (ILD).

Apparatus and methods for integrating magnetoresistive devices

A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive bit from a magnetoresistive stack includes (a) etching through at least a portion of a thickness of the surface region to create a first set of exposed areas in the form of multiple strips extending in a first direction, and (b) etching through at least a portion of a thickness of the surface region to create a second set of exposed areas in the form of multiple strips extending in a second direction. The first set of exposed areas and the second set of exposed areas may have multiple areas that overlap. The method may also include, (c) after the etching in (a) and (b), etching through at least a portion of the thickness of the magnetoresistive stack through the first set and second set of exposed areas.

Method of fabricating a magnetoresistive bit from a magnetoresistive stack

A magnetoresistive-based device and method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive-based device using one or more hard masks. The process of manufacture, in one embodiment, includes patterning a mask, after patterning the mask, etching (a) through a first layer of electrically conductive material to form an electrically conductive electrode and (b) through a third layer of ferromagnetic material to provide sidewalls of the second synthetic antiferromagnetic structure. The process further includes providing insulating material on or over the sidewalls of the second synthetic antiferromagnetic structure and, thereafter, etching through (a) a second tunnel barrier layer to provide sidewalls thereof, (b) a second layer of ferromagnetic material to provide sidewalls thereof, (c) a first tunnel barrier layer to provide sidewalls thereof, and (d) a first layer of ferromagnetic material to provide sidewalls of the first synthetic antiferromagnetic structure.

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Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Sarin A Deshpande