{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10522749","patent":{"patent_number":"US-10522749","title":"Combined physical and chemical etch to reduce magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sidewall damage","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2017-05-15T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2019-12-31T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["B82Y","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":19,"abstract":"A process flow for forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) nanopillars with minimal sidewall residue and minimal sidewall damage is disclosed wherein a pattern is first formed in a hard mask that is an uppermost MTJ layer. Thereafter, the hard mask sidewall is etch transferred through the remaining MTJ layers including a reference layer, free layer, and tunnel barrier between the free layer and reference layer. The etch transfer may be completed in a single RIE step that features a physical component involving inert gas ions or plasma, and a chemical component comprised of ions or plasma generated from one or more of methanol, ethanol, ammonia, and CO. In other embodiments, a chemical treatment with one of the aforementioned chemicals, and a volatilization at 50° C. to 450° C. may follow an etch transfer through the MTJ stack with an ion beam etch or plasma etch involving inert gas ions."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Combined physical and chemical etch to reduce magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sidewall damage","description":"A process flow for forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) nanopillars with minimal sidewall residue and minimal sidewall damage is disclosed wherein a pattern is first formed in a hard mask that is an","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10522749","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10522749","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Combined physical and chemical etch to reduce magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sidewall damage\" (US-10522749). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10522749","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10522749","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-10522749","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-30T17:20:57.156Z"}