Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device architecture, that includes a thin single layer of a conductive etch-stop layer between a lower metal interconnect and a bottom electrode of an RRAM cell. The conductive etch-stop layer provides simplicity in structure and the etch-selectivity of this layer provides protection to the underlying layers. The conductive etch stop layer can be etched using a dry or wet etch to land on the lower metal interconnect. In instances where the lower metal interconnect is copper, etching the conductive etch stop layer to expose the copper does not produce as much non-volatile copper etching by-products as in traditional methods. Compared to traditional methods, some embodiments of the disclosed techniques reduce the number of mask step and also reduce chemical mechanical polishing during the formation of the bottom electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a transistor layer, a memory region over the transistor layer, and a logic region adjacent to the memory region. The memory region includes a first Nth metal line, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the first Nth metal line, a cap over the MTJ, a first stop layer on the cap, and a first (N+1)th metal via over the MTJ. The first (N+1)th metal via is laterally surrounded by the cap and the first stop layer. The logic region includes a second Nth metal line, a second stop layer over an (N+1)th metal line, and a second (N+1)th metal via over the (N+1)th metal line. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip including a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell over a substrate. A dielectric structure overlies the substrate. The MRAM cell is disposed within the dielectric structure. The MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sandwiched between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A conductive wire overlies the top electrode. A sidewall spacer structure continuously extends along a sidewall of the MTJ and the top electrode. The sidewall spacer structure includes a first sidewall spacer layer, a second sidewall spacer layer, and a protective sidewall spacer layer sandwiched between the first and second sidewall spacer layers. The first and second sidewall spacer layers comprise a first material and the protective sidewall spacer layer comprises a second material different than the first material.

Abstract: An RRAM cell stack is formed over an opening in a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is sufficiently thick and the opening is sufficiently deep that an RRAM cell can be formed by a planarization process. The resulting RRAM cells may have a U-shaped profile. The RRAM cell area includes contributions from a bottom portion in which the RRAM cell layers are stacked parallel to the substrate and a side portion in which RRAM cell layers are stacked roughly perpendicular to the substrate. The combined side and bottom portions of the curved RRAM cell provide an increased area in comparison to a planar cell stack. The increased area lowers forming and set voltages for the RRAM cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a plurality of lower interconnect layers disposed within a dielectric structure over a substrate. The integrated chip further includes a memory device having a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. The bottom electrode is electrically coupled to the plurality of lower interconnect layers. A sidewall spacer continuously extends from an outermost sidewall of the data storage structure to below an outermost sidewall of the bottom electrode.

Abstract: A novel integrated circuit and method thereof are provided. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of first interconnect pads, a plurality of second interconnect pads, a first inter-level dielectric layer, a thin film resistor, and at least two end-caps. The end-caps, which are connectors for the thin film resistor, are positioned at the same level with the plurality of second interconnect pads. Therefore, an electrical connection between the end-caps and the plurality of second interconnect pads can be formed by directly connection of them. An integrated circuit with a thin film resistor can be made in a cost benefit way accordingly, so as to overcome disadvantages mentioned above.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a transistor layer, a memory region over the transistor layer, and a logic region adjacent to the memory region. The memory region includes a first Nth metal line, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the first Nth metal line, a cap over the MTJ, a first stop layer on the cap; and a first (N+1)th metal via over the MTJ. The first (N+1)th metal via is laterally surrounded by the cap and the first stop layer. The logic region includes a second Nth metal line, a second stop layer being disposed over an (N+1)th metal line, and a second (N+1)th metal via over the (N+1)th metal line. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device. In the method, a plurality of contacts are formed over a substrate, and one or more bottom electrode layers are formed over the plurality of contacts. A first dielectric layer is formed such that a first base region of the first dielectric layer is in contact with the one or more bottom electrode layers and a second base region of the first dielectric layer is not in contact with the one or more bottom electrode layers. One or more top electrode layers are formed over the first dielectric layer. Patterning is then performed by etching through the one or more top electrode layers and by etching through the first dielectric layer to form a metal-insulator-metal structure. The patterning removes a portion of the second base region, but does not remove the first base region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a first electrode over the substrate, a second electrode over the first electrode, and a first insulating layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first insulating layer has a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion of the first insulating layer is in contact with the second electrode, the first portion is separated from the second electrode by the second portion. A thickness of the second portion is greater than a thickness of the first portion.

Abstract: A novel integrated circuit and method thereof are provided. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of first interconnect pads, a plurality of second interconnect pads, a first inter-level dielectric layer, a thin film resistor, and at least two end-caps. The end-caps, which are connectors for the thin film resistor, are positioned at the same level with the plurality of second interconnect pads. Therefore, an electrical connection between the end-caps and the plurality of second interconnect pads can be formed by directly connection of them. An integrated circuit with a thin film resistor can be made in a cost benefit way accordingly, so as to overcome disadvantages mentioned above.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip including a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell over a substrate. A dielectric structure overlies the substrate. The MRAM cell is disposed within the dielectric structure. The MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sandwiched between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A conductive wire overlies the top electrode. A sidewall spacer structure continuously extends along a sidewall of the MTJ and the top electrode. The sidewall spacer structure includes a first sidewall spacer layer, a second sidewall spacer layer, and a protective sidewall spacer layer sandwiched between the first and second sidewall spacer layers. The first and second sidewall spacer layers comprise a first material and the protective sidewall spacer layer comprises a second material different than the first material.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a plurality of lower interconnect layers disposed within a dielectric structure over a substrate. The integrated chip further includes a memory device having a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. The bottom electrode is electrically coupled to the plurality of lower interconnect layers. A sidewall spacer continuously extends from an outermost sidewall of the data storage structure to below an outermost sidewall of the bottom electrode.

Abstract: An RRAM cell stack is formed over an opening in a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is sufficiently thick and the opening is sufficiently deep that an RRAM cell can be formed by a planarization process. The resulting RRAM cells may have a U-shaped profile. The RRAM cell area includes contributions from a bottom portion in which the RRAM cell layers are stacked parallel to the substrate and a side portion in which RRAM cell layers are stacked roughly perpendicular to the substrate. The combined side and bottom portions of the curved RRAM cell provide an increased area in comparison to a planar cell stack. The increased area lowers forming and set voltages for the RRAM cell.

Abstract: A method includes forming first and second gate stacks over a substrate. Each of the first and second gate stacks includes a tunneling dielectric layer, a floating gate over the tunneling dielectric layer, a middle dielectric layer over the floating gate, and a control gate over the middle dielectric layer. A conductive layer is formed over the first and second gate stacks. The conductive layer is etched to form a erase gate between the first and second gate stacks. Etching the conductive layer is performed such that a top surface of the erase gate is not higher than a top surface of the control gate and such that the top surface of the erase gate is at least partially curved inwards.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a transistor layer, a memory region over the transistor layer, and a logic region adjacent to the memory region. The memory region includes a first Nth metal line, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the first Nth metal line, a cap over the MTJ, a first stop layer on the cap; and a first (N+1)th metal via over the MTJ. The first (N+1)th metal via is laterally surrounded by the cap and the first stop layer. The logic region includes a second Nth metal line, a second stop layer being disposed over an (N+1)th metal line, and a second (N+1)th metal via over the (N+1)th metal line. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a top electrode overlying a bottom electrode. A data storage layer overlies the bottom electrode. The bottom electrode cups an underside of the data storage layer. The top electrode overlies the data storage layer. A top surface of the bottom electrode is aligned with a top surface of the top electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a memory region and a logic region adjacent to the memory region. The memory region includes a first Nth metal line, a first stop layer being disposed over a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the first Nth metal line, and a first (N+1)th metal via being disposed over the MTJ and surrounded by the first stop layer, the first (N+1)th metal via having a first height. The logic region includes a second Nth metal line, a second stop layer being disposed over an (N+1)th metal line, and a second (N+1)th metal via over the (N+1)th metal line and having a second height. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and the first height is greater than the second height. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including an Nth metal layer, a bottom electrode over the Nth metal layer, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the bottom electrode, a top electrode over the MTJ, and an (N+M)th metal layer over the Nth metal layer. N and M are positive integers. The (N+M)th metal layer surrounds a portion of a sidewall of the top electrode. A manufacturing method of forming the semiconductor structure is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including an Nth metal layer, a bottom electrode over the Nth metal layer, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) over the bottom electrode, a top electrode over the MTJ, and an (N+M)th metal layer over the Nth metal layer. N and M are positive integers. The (N+M)th metal layer surrounds a portion of a sidewall of the top electrode. A manufacturing method of forming the semiconductor structure is also provided.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a semiconductor device includes forming a first region and a second region on a semiconductor substrate. The first region has a larger thickness than a thickness of the second region. An interlayer dielectric layer is conformally deposited on the first region and the second region. A photoresist is formed on the second region. A bottom anti-reflective coating layer is formed on the photoresist, first region and second region. A planarization process is performed to the semiconductor substrate. The planarization process to the first region and the second region includes removing portions of the interlayer dielectric layer, the photoresist and the BARC layer.