Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Yuan-Tai Tseng

Shih-Chang Liu

Chia-Shiung Tsai

Chung-Chiang Min

Chang-Ming Wu

Chern-Yow Hsu

Ming Chyi Liu

Chung-Yen Chou

Ming-Chyi Liu

Fu-Ting Sung

Tsung-Hsueh Yang

Wei-Cheng Wu

Ru-Liang Lee

Yu-Hsing Chang

Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang

Yao-Wen Chang

Hung Cho Wang

Sheng-Huang Huang

Harry Hak-Lay Chuang

Chia-Hua Lin

Kuo-Chyuan Tzeng

Te-Hsien Hsieh

Chang-Chih Huang

Kuo-Chi Tu

Shih-Wei Lin

Tzu-Yu Chen

Yi Jen Tsai

Yi-Jen Tsai

Yihuei Zhu

Der-Chyang Yeh

Chung-Yi Yu

Hsun-Chung Kuang

Chi-Ming Chen

Chih-Ping Chao

Hua-Chou Tseng

Pei-Lun Wang

Sheng-Chieh Chen

Sheng-De Liu

Li-Wen Chang

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 including a first word line and a second word line adjacent to the first word line. The first word line and the second word line both extend along a first direction. A first memory cell is over the first word line and a second memory cell is over the second word line. A first bit line extends over the first memory cell, over the second memory cell, and along a second direction transverse to the first direction. A first dielectric layer is arranged between the first memory cell and the second memory cell. The first dielectric layer extends in a first closed loop to form and enclose a first void within the first dielectric layer. The first void laterally separates the first memory cell from the second memory cell.

Memory device for reducing thermal crosstalk

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

A memory cell with a hard mask and a sidewall spacer of different material is provided. The memory cell may be manufactured by a method comprising forming a multi-layer stack and patterning the same to form the hard mask layer, the top electrode layer and the switching dielectric layer to form a hard mask, a top electrode and a switching dielectric. A sidewall spacer is formed alongside the hard mask, the top electrode, and the switching dielectric with a material different than the hard mask. The bottom electrode layer is patterned according to the sidewall spacer to form a bottom electrode. A dielectric layer is formed surrounding the bottom electrode, the sidewall spacer and overlying the hard mask. An etch is performed followed by a conductive material filling to form a top electrode via extending through the dielectric layer and the hard mask to reach on the top electrode.

Memory device having via landing protection

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

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 an integrated circuit comprising a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell with recessed bottom electrode sidewalls to mitigate the effect of sidewall plasma damage. In some embodiments, the RRAM cell includes a lower electrode, a data storage element, and an upper electrode. The lower electrode includes a pair of recessed bottom electrode sidewalls respectively on opposite sides of the lower electrode. The data storage element overlies the lower electrode and includes a pair of storage sidewalls. The storage sidewalls are respectively on the opposite sides of the lower electrode, and the recessed bottom electrode sidewalls are laterally spaced from and laterally between the storage sidewalls. The upper electrode overlies the data storage element.

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) cell with recessed bottom electrode sidewalls

A semiconductor structure includes a first electrode, a second electrode over the first electrode, a third electrode over the second electrode, a first insulating layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second insulating layer between the second electrode and the third electrode. The third electrode includes a first bottom surface and a second bottom surface. The first bottom surface and the second bottom surface are at different levels. A width of the first bottom surface is greater than a width of the second bottom surface.

Semiconductor structure and method 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. The semiconductor structure includes a memory region, the memory region includes a first metal line, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the first metal line, a cap, wherein at least a portion of the cap is above the MTJ, a first stop layer above the cap, and a first metal via being disposed over the MTJ and in direct contact with the first stop layer, and a logic region adjacent to the memory region, the logic region includes a second metal line, a third metal line over the second metal line, a second stop layer being disposed over the third metal line, and a second metal via over the third metal line.

Semiconductor structure

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.

An RRAM cell stack is formed over an opening in a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is sufficiently thick and the opening is sufficiently deep that an RRAM cell can be formed by a planarization process. The resulting RRAM cells may have a U-shaped profile. The RRAM cell area includes contributions from a bottom portion in which the RRAM cell layers are stacked parallel to the substrate and a side portion in which RRAM cell layers are stacked roughly perpendicular to the substrate. The combined side and bottom portions of the curved RRAM cell provide an increased area in comparison to a planar cell stack. The increased area lowers forming and set voltages for the RRAM cell.

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Zhubei, Taiwan

Yuan-Tai Tseng