Novel Quad-Interface MTJ Technology and its First Demonstration With High Thermal Stability Factor and Switching Efficiency for STT-MRAM Beyond 2X nm

Abstract

We have proposed a novel quad-interface magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) technology which brings forth an increase of both thermal stability factor $\Delta $ and switching efficiency defined as the ratio of $\Delta $ to intrinsic critical current ${I}_{\text {C0}}$ ( $\Delta /{I}_{\text {C0}}$ ) by a factor of 1.5–2 compared with the conventional double-interface MTJ technology. The free layer of the developed quad interface consists of bottom-MgO/FL1/middle-MgO/FL2/top-MgO stack structure. We successfully fabricated the quad-interface MTJ using a 300-mm process based on a novel low-damage integration process including physical vapor deposition (PVD), reactive ion etching (RIE), and so on. By developing the quad-interface MTJ, we have achieved about two times larger $\Delta $ and $\Delta /{I}_{\text {C0}}$ at the same time. Moreover, we have achieved about two times larger tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio at the same resistance area (RA) product by developing the FL1, bottom-MgO, and middle-MgO. The developed quad-interface MTJ technology considered as post-double-interface MTJ technology will become an essential technology for the scaling of the spin-transfer-torque magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) beyond 20 nm.