Patent ID: 9698341
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G11B,G11C,H01L

Claim:
1. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device from: (i) a first layer of ferromagnetic material disposed over a first electrically conductive material which is disposed over a substrate, (ii) a first tunnel barrier layer disposed over the first layer of ferromagnetic material, (iii) a second layer of ferromagnetic material disposed over the first tunnel barrier layer, (iv) a second tunnel barrier layer disposed over the second layer of ferromagnetic material, (v) a first layer of non-magnetic material disposed over the second tunnel barrier layer and (vi) a first layer of electrically conductive material disposed over the first layer of non-magnetic material, method comprising: forming a first mask over a selected portion of the first layer of electrically conductive material; after forming the first mask, etching (a) through the first layer of electrically conductive material to form a top electrically conductive electrode, (b) through the first layer of non-magnetic material to provide sidewalls thereof, (c) through the second tunnel barrier layer to form a second tunnel barrier and provide sidewalls thereof and (d) the second layer of ferromagnetic material to provide sidewalls thereof; forming a second mask over (a) the top electrically conductive electrode and (b) the sidewalls of (i) the second tunnel barrier, (ii) the first layer of non-magnetic material and (iii) the second layer of ferromagnetic material; and after forming the second mask, etching (a) through the first tunnel barrier layer to form a first tunnel barrier and provide sidewalls thereof and (b) the first layer of ferromagnetic material to provide sidewalls thereof; and providing an insulating material on the sidewalls of (i) the first tunnel barrier and (ii) the first layer of ferromagnetic material.