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Samsung patents 3D magnetic memory design with tapered contact plugs

Samsung describes a method for building a magnetic memory chip where the electrical connections between layers have a specific tapered shape. The filing details how to etch trenches at different depths to create these wider-top, narrower-bottom contact plugs within the device structure.

Why it mattersThis is a detailed manufacturing process for a specific type of memory component, which is interesting to engineers but unlikely to change how everyday users interact with their devices.

In the filing’s own words

A magnetic memory device may include a substrate, a lower interconnection line on the substrate, a data storage structure on the lower interconnection line, and a lower contact plug between the lower interconnection line and the data storage structure and extended in a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate to connect the lower interconnection line to the data storage structure. An upper portion of the lower contact plug may have a first width in a second direction parallel to the top surface of the substrate, and a lower portion of the lower contact plug may have a second width in the second direction. The first width may be larger than the second width.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method of fabricating a magnetic memory device, comprising: providing a substrate including a cell region and a peripheral region; forming a lower interconnection line on the substrate and a first lower interlayer insulating layer covering the lower interconnection line; sequentially forming a lower insulating layer, a second lower interlayer insulating layer, a first hard mask layer, and a second hard mask layer on the first lower interlayer insulating layer and the lower interconnection line; forming a first trench on the cell region to penetrate the second hard mask layer and the first hard mask layer; forming a second trench on the peripheral region to penetrate the second hard mask layer and an upper portion of the first hard mask layer, a bottom surface of the second trench being located at a height higher than a bottom surface of the first trench; etching the second lower interlayer insulating layer, which is exposed by the first trench, on the cell region to form a third trench penetrating the second lower interlayer insulating layer; and partially and laterally etching an upper portion of the second lower interlayer insulating layer, which is exposed by an inner side surface of the third trench, to form a fourth trench, wherein the bottom surface of the second trench is in the first hard mask layer, after the forming of the fourth trench.

Facts

Company
Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
Official title
MAGNETIC MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME
Publication number
US20260271301A1
Application number
19658983
Filed
Apr 27, 2026
Published
Sep 10, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
9

Classified under

H10B 61/00 Electricity & electronicsH10N 50/01 Electricity & electronicsH10N 50/20 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.