US 12,274,072 B2
Semiconductor memory device and method for fabricating the same
Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Zhubei (SG); Sheng-Huang Huang, Hsinchu (TW); Shih-Chang Liu, Kaohsiung County (TW); and Chern-Yow Hsu, Hsin-Chu County (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/249,832.
Application 16/041,461 is a division of application No. 15/200,481, filed on Jul. 1, 2016, granted, now 10,032,828, issued on Jul. 24, 2018.
Application 17/249,832 is a continuation of application No. 16/714,968, filed on Dec. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,950,656.
Application 16/714,968 is a continuation of application No. 16/041,461, filed on Jul. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,510,803, issued on Dec. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0202574 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H10B 61/00 (2023.01); H10N 50/01 (2023.01); H10N 50/10 (2023.01); H10N 50/80 (2023.01)
CPC H10B 61/00 (2023.02) [H10B 61/22 (2023.02); H10N 50/01 (2023.02); H10N 50/10 (2023.02); H10N 50/80 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising:
depositing a bottom capping layer over a substrate in a first region and a second region of the substrate;
forming a memory cell having a bottom electrode, a memory element, and a top electrode in the first region, wherein the bottom electrode is disposed in an opening of the bottom capping layer;
forming a first portion of a top capping layer on a top surface of the top electrode and extending to the second region of the substrate over the bottom capping layer;
while a masking element is disposed over the first region, performing an etching process on layers of the second region, wherein the etching process reduces a thickness of the bottom capping layer in the second region; and
after the etching process, forming a second portion of the top capping layer over the first region and the second region.