The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 01, 2002
Gregory Costrini, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
John Hummel, Millbrook, NY (US);
Kia-seng Low, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Igor Kasko, Mennecy, FR;
Frank Findeis, Munich, DE;
Wolfgang Raberg, Fontainebleau, FR;
Gregory Costrini, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
John Hummel, Millbrook, NY (US);
Kia-Seng Low, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Igor Kasko, Mennecy, FR;
Frank Findeis, Munich, DE;
Wolfgang Raberg, Fontainebleau, FR;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A magneto resistive memory device is fabricated by etching a blanket metal stack comprised of a buffer layer, pinned magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a free magnetic layer. The problem of junction shorting from resputtered metal during the etching process is eliminated by formation of a protective spacer covering the side of the freelayer and tunnel barrier interface. The spacer is formed following the first etch through the free layer which stops on the barrier layer. After spacer formation a second etch is made to isolate the device. The patterning of the device tunnel junction is made using a disposable mandrel method that enables a self-aligned contact to be made following the completion of the device patterning process.