METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MAGNETORESISTIVE DEVICE

摘要

A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive-based device includes a metal hard mask that is inert to a top electrode etch chemistry and that has low sputter yield during a magnetic stack sputter. The metal hard mask is patterned by the photo resist and the photo mask is then stripped and the top electrode (overlying magnetic materials of the magnetoresistive-based device) is patterned by the metal hard mask.