Perpendicular MTJ Manufacturing Segmentation for Property Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices face challenges in identifying the cause of property degradation, as they require inspecting completed devices, making it difficult to isolate issues affecting magnetoresistance and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy properties.
Innovation Solution
A method that separates the manufacturing process into forming and inspecting two stacked structures sequentially, allowing for inspection of MR properties and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy properties separately, enabling easier identification of issues by exposing the substrate to the atmosphere during inspections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If property inspections are performed for completed perpendicular MTJ devices, then both MR properties and perpendicular magnetic properties can be measured, but it becomes difficult to identify the cause of property degradation and yield reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is divided into separate stages: a first stacked structure is formed and inspected for MR properties, then a second stacked structure is formed and inspected for perpendicular magnetic properties. This segmentation allows independent inspection of each structure, making it possible to identify which structure causes property degradation without requiring inspection of the complete device only.
2Reliability
If the entire process is performed under vacuum to prevent degradation of barrier layer and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy layer properties, then property degradation is prevented, but inspection of MR properties and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy properties must be performed for completed devices only
Solution Approach 1:
The process is segmented into separate formation and inspection steps for two different stacked structures. The first stacked structure (including barrier layer) is formed and inspected under vacuum conditions, then the second stacked structure (including perpendicular magnetic anisotropy layer) is formed and inspected. This allows property preservation through vacuum conditions while enabling separate inspection of each structure's specific properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The first stacked structure is formed and inspected for MR properties before forming the second stacked structure. This preliminary action allows early detection of issues with the barrier layer and tunnel junction properties, enabling process adjustments before completing the full device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a perpendicular MTJ device which includes: a first stacked structure including a pair of CoFeB layers sandwiching an MgO layer; and a second stacked structure including a multilayer, the method comprising the steps of: forming one of the first and second stacked structures on a substrate; inspecting a property of the substrate with the one of the first and second stacked structures formed thereon while exposing the substrate to the atmosphere; and forming another one of the first and second stacked structures on the substrate with the one of the first and second stacked structures formed thereon.