Method of fabricating magnetic bubble memory device having planar

Abstract

Method of fabricating a magnetic bubble memory device in which the magnetizable upper overlay pattern of magnetically soft material, e.g. permalloy, defining bubble propagation elements and bubble function-determining components as located above a bubble-supporting magnetic film is disposed in a wholly planar configuration to avoid bubble propagation anomalies encountered with typical non-planar overlay patterns of magnetically soft material. The fabrication method provides for the consecutive deposition onto a substrate having a magnetic film capable of supporting magnetic bubbles of a layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive material, a layer of insulating material, and a layer of magnetically soft material, such as permalloy. Patterning of the layers then proceeds from the uppermost layer downwardly in stages to form magnetically soft components defining the elements of magnetic bubble propagation paths and magnetic bubble function-determining components as a planar upper overlay pattern from the layer of magnetically soft material, insulation spacers from the layer of insulating material, and control conductors as a planar lower overlay pattern from the layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive material. Patterning of the respective layers is preferably achieved by ion milling of selected portions of the layer of magnetically soft material as defined by a first mask and by sequential plasma etching of selected portions of the underlying layer of insulating material and the layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive material as defined by a second composite mask partially comprising the overlay pattern of magnetically soft material and photoresist material.