Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating a magnetoresistive device comprising, in combination:
forming a magnetoresistive stack; and forming a substantially-antireflective-cap layer over the magnetoresistive stack, wherein the substantially-antireflective-cap layer is usable as an etch stop.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an insulating layer over a substrate and under the magnetoresistive stack.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a dielectric layer over the substantially-antireflective-cap layer.
- 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising patterning the dielectric layer in the form of the at least one active region.
- 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising photomasking the dielectric layer using an active-region photomask, wherein the photolithography of the dielectric layer is substantially unaffected by the substantially-antireflective-cap layer.
- 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising etching the dielectric layer to form an active-region mask.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the etching of the dielectric layer effectively ceases at the interface between the substantially-antireflective-cap layer and the dielectric layer.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising etching a portion of the substantially-antireflective-cap layer in the form of the active-region mask.
- 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising etching a portion of the magnetoresistive stack to form the at least one active region.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming a second-dielectric layer over the at least one active region.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein forming said substantially-antireflective-cap comprises forming the substantially-antireflective-cap layer at low temperature.
- 12. A magnetoresistive device produced from the method of claim 10.
- 13. A magnetoresistive device comprising, in combination:
a magnetoresistive stack; and a substantially-antireflective-cap layer formed over the magnetoresistive stack, wherein said substantially-antireflective-cap layer is usable as an etch-stop.
- 14. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, further comprising an insulating layer formed over a substrate and under the magnetoresistive stack.
- 15. The magnetoresistive device of claim 14, further comprising a second-insulating layer formed over the magnetoresistive stack.
- 16. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the magnetoresistive stack comprises a device selected from the group consisting of anisotropic magnetoresistive stacks, giant magnetoresistive stacks, and colossal magnetoresistive stacks.
- 17. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the magnetoresistive device comprises a giant magnetoresistive sensor.
- 18. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the magnetoresistive device comprises a magnetic random access memory.
- 19. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the magnetoresistive device comprises at least one active region formed into at least one giant-magnetoresistive-sensing element.
- 20. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the magnetoresistive device comprises at least one active region formed into at least one magnetic-random-access-memory bit.
- 21. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the substantially-antireflective-cap layer provides very high selectivity of etch rate for patterning the dielectric layer into at least one active region.
- 22. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the substantially-antireflective-cap layer is formed at low temperature.
- 23. The magnetoresistive device of claim 13, wherein the substantially-antireflective-cap layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, and aluminum nitride.
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
[0001] The United States Government has acquired certain rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DTRA01-00-C-0002 awarded by DTRA.