Patent ID: 9595665
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A method of forming a magnetoresistive device, comprising: forming a spacer layer over a dielectric layer; forming an electrically conductive layer over the spacer layer, wherein after the electrically conductive layer is formed, the spacer layer is between the electrically conductive layer and the dielectric layer; forming a patterned layer of photoresist over the first electrically conductive layer; etching a first portion of the electrically conductive layer not covered by the patterned layer of photoresist, wherein etching the first portion of the electrically conductive layer has a first level of etching isotropy; after etching the first portion of the electrically conductive layer, etching a second portion of the electrically conductive layer not covered by the patterned layer of photoresist to form a first electrode, wherein etching the second portion of the electrically conductive layer has a second level of etching isotropy that is different from the first level of etching isotropy; stripping the patterned layer of photoresist using a non-oxidizing gas; and after stripping the patterned layer of photoresist and etching the electrically conductive layer, etching the dielectric layer not covered by the first electrode.