US 12,245,516 B2
Self-aligned encapsulation hard mask to separate physically under-etched MTJ cells to reduce conductive re-deposition
Yi Yang, Fremont, CA (US); Dongna Shen, San Jose, CA (US); Vignesh Sundar, Fremont, CA (US); and Yu-Jen Wang, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/232,027.
Application 18/232,027 is a continuation of application No. 17/816,035, filed on Jul. 29, 2022, granted, now 11,818,961.
Application 17/816,035 is a continuation of application No. 17/121,457, filed on Dec. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,444,241, issued on Sep. 13, 2022.
Application 17/121,457 is a continuation of application No. 16/113,079, filed on Aug. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,868,237, issued on Dec. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0389435 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H10N 50/01 (2023.01); H01F 10/32 (2006.01); H01F 41/34 (2006.01); H10N 50/80 (2023.01); G11C 11/16 (2006.01); H10B 61/00 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 50/01 (2023.02) [H01F 10/3254 (2013.01); H01F 41/34 (2013.01); H10N 50/80 (2023.02); G11C 11/161 (2013.01); H10B 61/00 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) device comprising:
a stack of MTJ layers disposed on a first electrode, the stack of MTJ layers including a first layer having a first size and a second layer having a second size that is different than the first size, the first layer having a different material composition than the second layer;
a dielectric spacer disposed along and physically contacting a sidewall of at least one of the first layer and the second layer; and
a second electrode disposed over and having a bottom surface facing the first layer and the second layer, wherein the second electrode has a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall and the bottom surface of the second electrode extending between the first and second sidewalls of the second electrode, wherein at least a portion of the first sidewall of the second electrode is free of the dielectric spacer.