A sputtering target structure includes a back plate characterized by a first size, and a plurality of sub-targets bonded to the back plate. Each of the sub-targets is characterized by a size that is a fraction of the first size and is equal to or less than a threshold target size. Each sub-target includes a ferromagnetic material containing iron (Fe) and boron (B). Each of the plurality of sub-targets is in direct contact with one or more adjacent sub-targets.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and a MRAM. The method includes: preparing a bottom electrode through hole, a bottom electrode, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), a top electrode, and an insulating layer sequentially on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first interlayer dielectric layer on the insulating layer; forming an etching stop layer on the first interlayer dielectric layer; forming a second interlayer dielectric layer on the etching stop layer; etching a part of the second interlayer dielectric layer above the top electrode to the etching stop layer, and forming a first trench; performing a self-alignment implantation inclined on a part of the first interlayer dielectric layer corresponding to a bottom of the first trench; continuously etching through the first trench to a top end surface of the top electrode, and forming a second trench.

A plurality of conductive via connections are fabricated on a substrate located at positions where MTJ devices are to be fabricated, wherein a width of each of the conductive via connections is smaller than or equivalent to a width of the MTJ devices. The conductive via connections are surrounded with a dielectric layer having a height sufficient to ensure that at the end of a main MTJ etch, an etch front remains in the dielectric layer surrounding the conductive via connections. Thereafter, a MTJ film stack is deposited on the plurality of conductive via connections surrounded by the dielectric layer. The MTJ film stack is etched using an ion beam etch process (IBE), etching through the MTJ film stack and into the dielectric layer surrounding the conductive via connections to form the MTJ devices wherein by etching into the dielectric layer, re-deposition on sidewalls of the MTJ devices is insulating.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate; forming a first shielding layer on the substrate; forming a first electrode penetrating the first shielding layer; forming a storage structure on the first electrode; forming a second shielding layer on the top surface and sidewalls of the storage structure, wherein the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer combine into one integrated shielding layer; and forming a second electrode which penetrates the shielding layer and electrically connects to the storage structure.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate; forming a first shielding layer on the substrate; forming a first electrode penetrating the first shielding layer; forming a storage structure on the first electrode; forming a second shielding layer on the top surface and sidewalls of the storage structure, wherein the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer combine into one integrated shielding layer; and forming a second electrode which penetrates the shielding layer and electrically connects to the storage structure.

A magnetoresistance effect element includes a wiring that extends in a first direction, a laminate that includes a first ferromagnetic layer connected to the wiring, a first conductive part and a second conductive part that sandwich the first ferromagnetic layer therebetween in a plan view in a lamination direction, and a resistor that has a geometrical center overlapping a geometrical center of the first conductive part or farther away from the laminate than the geometrical center of the first conductive part in the first direction when viewed in a plan view in the lamination direction.

A magnetic storage element and an electronic apparatus having a reduced writing current while retaining a magnetism retention property of a storage layer. The magnetic storage element includes a spin orbit layer extending in one direction, a writing line that is electrically coupled to the spin orbit layer, and allows a current to flow in an extending direction of the spin orbit layer, a tunnel junction element including a storage layer, an insulator layer, and a magnetization fixed layer that are stacked in order on the spin orbit layer, and a non-magnetic layer having a film thickness of 2 nm or less, and disposed at any stack position between the spin orbit layer and the insulator layer.

Embodiments of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures discussed herein employ seed layers of one or more layer of chromium (Cr), NiCr, NiFeCr, RuCr, IrCr, or CoCr, or combinations thereof. These seed layers are used in combination with one or more pinning layers, a first pinning layer in contact with the seed layer can contain a single layer of cobalt, or can contain cobalt in combination with bilayers of cobalt and platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), nickel (Ni), or palladium (Pd), The second pinning layer can be the same composition and configuration as the first, or can be of a different composition or configuration. The MTJ stacks discussed herein maintain desirable magnetic properties subsequent to high temperature annealing.

A method of manufacturing a memory device includes sequentially forming a first magnetization layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a second magnetization layer on each other; forming a magnetic tunnel junction structure by patterning the first magnetization layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the second magnetization layer; forming a sidewall metal layer by etching a portion of a redeposited metal covering a sidewall of the magnetic tunnel junction structure; performing an oxidizing operation that includes oxidizing an exposed surface of the sidewall metal layer to provide an oxidized sidewall metal layer; and performing an irradiating operation that includes irradiating an ion beam towards the oxidized sidewall metal layer. A sidewall insulating layer covering a sidewall of the magnetic tunnel junction structure is formed by alternately performing the oxidizing operation and the irradiating operation two or more times.

A method of manufacturing a memory device includes sequentially forming a first magnetization layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a second magnetization layer on each other; forming a magnetic tunnel junction structure by patterning the first magnetization layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the second magnetization layer; forming a sidewall metal layer by etching a portion of a redeposited metal covering a sidewall of the magnetic tunnel junction structure; performing an oxidizing operation that includes oxidizing an exposed surface of the sidewall metal layer to provide an oxidized sidewall metal layer; and performing an irradiating operation that includes irradiating an ion beam towards the oxidized sidewall metal layer. A sidewall insulating layer covering a sidewall of the magnetic tunnel junction structure is formed by alternately performing the oxidizing operation and the irradiating operation two or more times.