17994937. Diamond Shaped Magnetic Random Access Memory simplified abstract (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION)

Diamond Shaped Magnetic Random Access Memory

Organization Name

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION

Inventor(s)

Oscar Van Der Straten of Guilderland Center NY (US)

Diamond Shaped Magnetic Random Access Memory - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17994937 titled 'Diamond Shaped Magnetic Random Access Memory

Simplified Explanation

The abstract describes an MRAM device structure with improved dielectric gapfill and individually configurable bottom and top encapsulation layers. The device includes memory cell pillars with a diamond-shaped profile and an interlayer dielectric fully filling gaps between the memory cell pillars.

• Memory cell pillars have a diamond-shaped profile
• Interlayer dielectric fully fills gaps between memory cell pillars
• Each memory cell pillar includes a reference layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier, a first encapsulation layer, and a second encapsulation layer
• First encapsulation layer can include an oxide dielectric material
• Second encapsulation layer can include a nitride dielectric material
• Method of fabricating the MRAM devices is provided

Potential Applications

The technology can be applied in the field of non-volatile memory devices, specifically in MRAM devices for data storage applications.

Problems Solved

The technology addresses the challenges of dielectric gapfill and encapsulation in MRAM device structures, improving their performance and reliability.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include enhanced dielectric properties, improved gapfill, and configurable encapsulation layers, leading to better overall performance of MRAM devices.

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology can be commercialized in the semiconductor industry for the production of advanced MRAM devices with improved functionality and reliability.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of different dielectric materials in MRAM devices, but the specific configuration and techniques described in this patent application may be novel and inventive.

Unanswered Questions

How does the fabrication process of these MRAM devices compare to traditional methods?

The article does not provide a direct comparison between the new fabrication techniques and traditional methods in terms of efficiency, cost, or complexity.

What are the specific performance improvements achieved with the proposed device structures?

The article does not detail the exact performance enhancements, such as speed, power consumption, or data retention, resulting from the new MRAM device structures.

Original Abstract Submitted

MRAM device structures and techniques for fabrication thereof with improved dielectric gapfill and individually configurable bottom and top encapsulation layers are provided. In one aspect, an MRAM device includes: memory cell pillars having a diamond shaped profile; and an interlayer dielectric fully filling gaps between the memory cell pillars. For instance, each of the memory cell pillars can include a reference layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier between the reference layer and the free layer, a first encapsulation layer alongside the reference layer, and a second encapsulation layer alongside the free layer; and an interlayer dielectric fully filling gaps between the memory cell pillars. Optionally, the first encapsulation layer can include an oxide dielectric material, and the second encapsulation layer can include a nitride dielectric material. A method of fabricating the present MRAM devices is also provided.