LCDU optimization of STT-MRAM 50nm pitch MTJ pillars for process window improvement

Murat Pak; Davide Crotti; Farrukh Yasin; Monique Ercken; Sandip Halder; Danilo De Simone; Pieter Vanelderen; Laurent Souriau; Hubert Hody; Gouri Sankar Kar

doi:10.1117/12.2515023

26 March 2019 LCDU optimization of STT-MRAM 50nm pitch MTJ pillars for process window improvement

Murat Pak, Davide Crotti, Farrukh Yasin, Monique Ercken, Sandip Halder, Danilo De Simone, Pieter Vanelderen, Laurent Souriau, Hubert Hody, Gouri Sankar Kar

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10957, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography X; 109570R (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2515023
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2019, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The read performance of a spin-transfer torque magnetic random-access memory device is based on the tunnel magnetoresistance of the magnetic tunnel junction cell, which is a function of the resistance values at low and high resistance states of the magnetic layers. To ensure a robust tunnel magnetoresistance value and high yield, magnetic tunnel junction pillar patterning process should have a good local critical dimension uniformity. In this paper, we screen several patterning techniques, such as dry development rinse material-based tone reversal besides the standard patterning, as well as different resists and underlayer materials to improve the local critical dimension uniformity at 50nm pitch extreme ultraviolet pillar printing. The results of the best litho process obtained show an improvement above 20% for the local critical dimension uniformity performance. The performance metrics such as the process windows analysis, pillar circularity and the critical dimension uniformity have also been checked for the promising litho process options. Moreover, the transfer of the post-litho improvements to the etch process have been checked and qualified after several layers of hardmask etch.

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Citation Download Citation

Murat Pak, Davide Crotti, Farrukh Yasin, Monique Ercken, Sandip Halder, Danilo De Simone, Pieter Vanelderen, Laurent Souriau, Hubert Hody, and Gouri Sankar Kar "LCDU optimization of STT-MRAM 50nm pitch MTJ pillars for process window improvement", Proc. SPIE 10957, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography X, 109570R (26 March 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2515023

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