Abstract: Gate aligned contacts and methods of forming gate aligned contacts are described. For example, a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of gate structures above an active region formed above a substrate. The gate structures each include a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, and sidewall spacers. A plurality of contact plugs is formed, each contact plug formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. A plurality of contacts is formed, each contact formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. The plurality of contacts and the plurality of gate structures are formed subsequent to forming the plurality of contact plugs.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure comprises a semiconductor fin protruding through a trench isolation region above a substrate. A gate structure is over the semiconductor fin. A plurality of vertically stacked nanowires is through the gate structure, wherein the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires includes a top nanowire adjacent to a top of the gate structure, and a bottom nanowire adjacent to a top of the semiconductor fin. A dielectric material covers only a portion of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires outside the gate structure, such that one or more one of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires starting with the top nanowire is exposed from the dielectric material. Source and drain regions are on opposite sides of the gate structure connected to the exposed ones of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires.

Abstract: Strain engineering of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (PMTJs) is described. In an example, a memory structure includes a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) element disposed above a substrate. A lateral strain-inducing material layer is disposed on the pMTJ element. An inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed laterally adjacent to both the pMTJ element and the lateral strain-inducing material layer.

Abstract: A wrap-around source/drain trench contact structure is described. A plurality of semiconductor fins extend from a semiconductor substrate. A channel region is disposed in each fin between a pair of source/drain regions. An epitaxial semiconductor layer covers the top surface and sidewall surfaces of each fin over the source/drain regions, defining high aspect ratio gaps between adjacent fins. A pair of source/drain trench contacts are electrically coupled to the epitaxial semiconductor layers. The source/drain trench contacts comprise a conformal metal layer and a fill metal. The conformal metal layer conforms to the epitaxial semiconductor layers. The fill metal comprises a plug and a barrier layer, wherein the plug fills a contact trench formed above the fins and the conformal metal layer, and the barrier layer lines the plug to prevent interdiffusion of the conformal metal layer material and plug material.

Abstract: MTJ material stacks, pSTTM devices employing such stacks, and computing platforms employing such pSTTM devices. In some embodiments, perpendicular MTJ material stacks include a multi-layered filter stack disposed between a fixed magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer or synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) stack. In some embodiments, non-magnetic layers of the filter stack include at least one of Ta, Mo, Nb, W, or Hf. These transition metals may be in pure form or alloyed with other constituents.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic device are described. Those methods may include forming a structure comprising a first contact metal disposed on a source/drain contact of a substrate, and a second contact metal disposed on a top surface of the first contact metal, wherein the second contact metal is disposed within an ILD disposed on a top surface of a metal gate disposed on the substrate.

Abstract: A memory apparatus includes an interconnect in a first dielectric above a substrate and a structure above the interconnect, where the structure includes a diffusion barrier material and covers the interconnect. The memory apparatus further includes a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device coupled to the interconnect. The RRAM device includes a first electrode on a portion of the structure, a stoichiometric layer having a metal and oxygen on the first electrode, a non-stoichiometric layer including the metal and oxygen on the stoichiometric layer. A second electrode including a barrier material is on the non-stoichiometric layer. In some embodiments, the RRAM device further includes a third electrode on the second electrode. To prevent uncontrolled oxidation during a fabrication process a spacer may be directly adjacent to the RRAM device, where the spacer includes a second dielectric.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming a logic device including integrated spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (STT-MRAM). In accordance with some embodiments, one or more magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices may be formed within a given back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect layer of a host logic device. A given MTJ device may be formed, in accordance with some embodiments, over an electrically conductive layer configured to serve as a pedestal layer for the MTJ's constituent magnetic and insulator layers. In accordance with some embodiments, one or more conformal spacer layers may be formed over sidewalls of a given MTJ device and attendant pedestal layer, providing protection from oxidation and corrosion. A given MTJ device may be electrically coupled with an underlying interconnect or other electrically conductive feature, for example, by another intervening electrically conductive layer configured to serve as a thin via, in accordance with some embodiments.

Abstract: Material layer stack structures to provide a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) having improved perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) characteristics. In an embodiment, a free magnetic layer of the material layer stack is disposed between a tunnel barrier layer and a cap layer of magnesium oxide (Mg). The free magnetic layer includes a Cobalt-Iron-Boron (CoFeB) body substantially comprised of a combination of Cobalt atoms, Iron atoms and Boron atoms. A first Boron mass fraction of the CoFeB body is equal to or more than 25% (e.g., equal to or more than 27%) in a first region which adjoins an interface of the free magnetic layer with the tunnel barrier layer. In another embodiment, the first Boron mass fraction is more than a second Boron mass fraction in a second region of the CoFeB body which adjoins an interface of the free magnetic layer with the cap layer.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first electrode, a conductive layer including iridium above the first electrode and a magnetic junction directly on the conductive layer. The magnetic junction further includes a pinning structure above the conductive layer, a fixed magnet above the pinning structure, a tunnel barrier on the fixed magnet, a free magnet on the tunnel barrier layer and a second electrode above the free magnet. The conductive layer including iridium and the pinning structure including iridium provide switching efficiency.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a magnetic junction between the first and the second electrode. The magnetic junction includes a first magnetic structure that includes a first magnet including an alloy of cobalt and tungsten, and a second magnet above the first magnet. The first and the second magnets are separated by a non-magnetic spacer layer. The magnetic junction further includes a layer including a metal and oxygen on the first magnetic structure. The tunnel barrier layer has an <001> crystal texture. The magnetic junction further includes a third magnet on the tunnel barrier layer. The third magnet has a magnetization which can change in response to torque from a current tunneling through the tunnel barrier layer.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first electrode, a conductive layer including iridium above the first electrode, a magnetic junction on the conductive layer and a second electrode above the magnetic junction. The magnetic junction includes a magnetic structure including a first magnetic layer including cobalt, a non-magnetic layer including platinum or tungsten on the first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer including cobalt on the non-magnetic layer. The magnetic junction further includes an anti-ferromagnetic layer on the magnet structure, a fixed magnet above the anti-ferromagnetic layer, a free magnet above the fixed magnet and a tunnel barrier between the fixed magnet and the free magnet.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first interconnect structure above a substrate, a memory device above and coupled with the first interconnect structure in a memory region. The memory device includes a non-volatile memory element, an electrode on the non-volatile memory element, and a metallization structure on a portion of the electrode. The apparatus further includes a second interconnect structure in a logic region above the substrate, where the second interconnect structure is laterally distant from the first interconnect structure. The logic region further includes a second metallization structure coupled to the second interconnect structure and a conductive structure between the second metallization structure and the second interconnect structure. The apparatus further includes a dielectric spacer that extends from the memory device to the conductive structure.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic device are described. Those methods may include forming a structure comprising a first contact metal disposed on a source/drain contact of a substrate, and a second contact metal disposed on a top surface of the first contact metal, wherein the second contact metal is disposed within an ILD disposed on a top surface of a metal gate disposed on the substrate.

Abstract: A material layer stack for a pSTTM device includes a fixed magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier disposed above the fixed magnetic layer and a free layer disposed on the tunnel barrier. The free layer further includes a stack of bilayers where an uppermost bilayer is capped by a magnetic layer including iron and where each of the bilayers in the free layer includes a non-magnetic layer such as Tungsten, Molybdenum disposed on the magnetic layer. In an embodiment, the non-magnetic layers have a combined thickness that is less than 15% of a combined thickness of the magnetic layers in the stack of bilayers. A stack of bilayers including non-magnetic layers in the free layer can reduce the saturation magnetization of the material layer stack for the pSTTM device and subsequently increase the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for carrying out ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) testing on whole wafers populated with one or more buried magnetic layers. The techniques can be used to verify or troubleshoot processes for forming the buried magnetic layers, without requiring the wafer to be broken. The techniques can also be used to distinguish one magnetic layer from others in the same stack, based on a unique frequency response of that layer. One example methodology includes moving a wafer proximate to a waveguide (within 500 microns, but without shorting), energizing a DC magnetic field near the target measurement point, applying an RF input signal through the waveguide, collecting resonance spectra of the frequency response of the waveguide, and decomposing the resonance spectra into magnetic properties of the target layer. One or both of the DC magnetic field and RF input signal can be swept to generate a robust set of resonance spectra.

Abstract: A memory device includes a bottom electrode above a substrate, a first switching layer on the bottom electrode, a second switching layer including aluminum on the first switching layer, an oxygen exchange layer on the second switching layer and a top electrode on the oxygen exchange layer. The presence of the second switching layer including aluminum on the first switching layer enables a reduction in electro-forming voltage of the memory device.

Abstract: An apparatus, includes an interconnect, including a conductive material, above a substrate and a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device coupled to the interconnect. The RRAM device includes an electrode structure above the interconnect, where an upper portion of the electrode structure has a first width. The RRAM device further includes a switching layer on the electrode structure, where the switching layer has the first width and an oxygen exchange layer, having a second width less than the first width, on a portion of the switching layer. The RRAM device further includes a top electrode above the oxygen exchange layer, where the top electrode has the second width and an encapsulation layer on a portion of the switching layer, where the switching layer extends along a sidewall of the oxygen exchange layer.

Abstract: An RRAM device is disclosed. The RRAM device includes a bottom electrode, a high-k material on the bottom electrode, a top electrode, a top contact on the top electrode and an encapsulating layer of Al2O3. The encapsulating layer encapsulates the bottom electrode, the high-k material, the top electrode and the top contact.

Abstract: Gate aligned contacts and methods of forming gate aligned contacts are described. For example, a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of gate structures above an active region formed above a substrate. The gate structures each include a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, and sidewall spacers. A plurality of contact plugs is formed, each contact plug formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. A plurality of contacts is formed, each contact formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. The plurality of contacts and the plurality of gate structures are formed subsequent to forming the plurality of contact plugs.