| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080211055 | Utilizing Sidewall Spacer Features to Form Magnetic Tunnel Junctions in an Integrated Circuit - Novel methods for reliably and reproducibly forming magnetic tunnel junctions in integrated circuits are described. In accordance with aspects of the invention, sidewall spacer features are utilized during the processing of the film stack. Advantageously, these sidewall spacer features create a tapered masking feature which helps to avoid byproduct redeposition during the etching of the MTJ film stack, thereby improving process yield. Moreover, the sidewall spacer features may be used as encapsulating layers during subsequent processing steps and as vertical contacts to higher levels of metallization. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080303069 | TWO STEP PHOTORESIST STRIPPING METHOD SEQUENTIALLY USING ION ACTIVATED AND NON-ION ACTIVATED NITROGEN CONTAINING PLASMAS - A two-step nitrogen plasma method is used for stripping a photoresist layer from over a substrate. A first step within the two-step nitrogen plasma method uses a nitrogen plasma with ion activation to form from the photoresist layer over the substrate a treated photoresist layer over the substrate. A second step within the two-step nitrogen plasma method uses a second nitrogen plasma without ion activation to remove the treated photoresist layer from over the substrate. The method is particularly useful for stripping a patterned photoresist layer that is used for forming a gate electrode from a gate electrode material layer. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20090046493 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING SUB-LITHOGRAPHY DATA TRACKS FOR USE IN MAGNETIC SHIFT REGISTER MEMORY DEVICES - In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for fabricating sub-lithography data tracks for use in magnetic shift register memory devices. One embodiment of a memory device includes a first stack of dielectric material formed of a first dielectric material, a second stack of dielectric material surrounding the first stack of dielectric material and formed of at least a second dielectric material, and at least one data track for storing information, positioned between the first stack of dielectric material and the second stack of dielectric material, the data track having a high aspect ratio and a substantially rectangular cross section. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090059656 | Method and Structure for Improved Lithographic Alignment to Magnetic Tunnel Junctions in the Integration of Magnetic Random Access Memories - A magnetic memory device including a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device comprises a substrate and Front End of Line (FEOL) circuitry. A Via level (VA) InterLayer Dielectric (ILD) layer, a bottom conductor layer, and an MTJ device formed over the top surface of the VA ILD layer are formed over a portion of the substrate. An alignment region including alignment marks extends through the bottom conductor layer and extends down into the device below the top surface of the VA ILD layers is juxtaposed with the MJT device. | 03-05-2009 |