Magnetic Memory Devices With Reduced Boron Recovery Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing integration of semiconductor devices leads to reduced manufacturing margins and increased resistance in semiconductor memory devices, necessitating improvements in magnetic tunnel junction characteristics.
Innovation Solution
The development of magnetic memory devices with a specific structure including a contact plug pattern, magnetic conductive patterns, a tunnel barrier pattern, and a metal oxide layer, where the magnetic recovery layer has a reduced Boron concentration and is used to enhance the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio and sheet resistance (RA) by minimizing surface damage during processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If semiconductor devices are highly integrated, then device functionality and capacity increase, but manufacturing margin decreases and resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a magnetic recovery layer with specific material composition (reduced Boron concentration) only in critical regions where surface damage occurs during etching. This localized treatment restores magnetic properties precisely where needed without requiring global process changes, thereby maintaining high integration capacity while compensating for manufacturing precision limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic recovery layer is formed as a preliminary protective and restorative measure before final device completion. By anticipating surface damage from etching processes and providing a recovery mechanism in advance, the patent prevents deterioration of magnetic tunnel junction characteristics, allowing higher integration without proportionally increasing resistance.
2Productivity
If semiconductor devices are highly integrated, then device functionality increases, but resistance of unit cell increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes material parameters by reducing Boron concentration in the magnetic recovery layer compared to the underlying magnetic conductive layer. This parameter modification optimizes the magnetic and electrical properties, maintaining low resistance even as integration density increases. The specific compositional change allows the material to withstand processing damage while preserving conductive properties.
3Reliability
If magnetic tunnel junction characteristics are improved, then TMR ratio increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic recovery layer acts as an intermediary between the etching process and the magnetic tunnel junction. This intermediate layer protects the junction from damage while enabling high TMR ratios, without requiring fundamental redesign of the overall device structure. The intermediary approach increases reliability through material optimization rather than structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves the TMR ratio and sheet resistance, preventing deterioration of magnetic tunnel junction characteristics and maintaining high performance even after heat treatment, thereby addressing the challenges of reduced manufacturing margins and increased resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a metal oxide layer on a portion of the second surface of the tunnel barrier pattern that does not contact the first magnetic conductive pattern and on a side surface of the first magnetic conductive pattern
Implementation Method 2
enhance the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive concepts provide magnetic memory devices and methods forming the same. The method includes sequentially forming a first magnetic conductive layer and a capping layer on a substrate, patterning the capping layer and the first magnetic conductive layer to form a first magnetic conductive pattern and a capping pattern, forming an interlayer insulating layer exposing the capping pattern on the substrate, removing the capping pattern to expose the first magnetic conductive pattern, forming a tunnel barrier layer and a second magnetic conductive layer on the first magnetic conductive pattern and the interlayer insulating layer, and patterning the second magnetic conductive layer and the tunnel barrier layer to form a second magnetic conductive pattern and a tunnel barrier pattern.