Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Chemical etching – Vapor phase etching
Reexamination Certificate
2005-07-19
2005-07-19
Deo, Duy-Vu N. (Department: 1765)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Chemical etching
Vapor phase etching
C438S712000, C438S722000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06919280
ABSTRACT:
During manufacture, a magnetoresistive sensor having a ferromagnetic free layer is commonly provided with a tantalum cap layer. The tantalum cap layer provides protection to the sensor during manufacture and then is typically removed after performing annealing. The removal of the tantalum cap with a fluorine reactive ion etch leaves low volatility tantalum/fluorine byproducts. The present invention provides a method of using an argon/hydrogen reactive ion etch to remove the tantalum/fluorine byproducts. The resulting sensor has far less damage resulting from the presence of the fluorine byproducts.
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Hsiao Richard
Jayasekara Wipul Pemsiri
Nguyen Son Van
Zhang Sue
Deo Duy-Vu N.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies - Netherlands B.V.
Nunnelley Lewis L.
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