Tunneling magnetoresistive element including multilayer free magnetic layer having inserted nonmagnetic metal sublayer

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-10-23
ALPS ALPINE CO LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Accordingly, the present invention aims to solve the problems described above. The present invention provides a tunneling magnetoresistive element that can achieve a high rate of resistance change (ΔR / R).

Problems solved by technology

If the free magnetic layer has a layered ferri structure, a unidirectional bias magnetic field, which flows into the free magnetic layer from hard bias layers disposed on both sides of the free magnetic layer in the track width direction, disturbs the antiparallel magnetization state of two pinned magnetic sublayers separated by a nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer in the pinned magnetic layer, thus often causing Barkhausen noise.
Furthermore, if the free magnetic layer has a layered ferri structure, the free magnetic layer often has a large coercive force.

Method used

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  • Tunneling magnetoresistive element including multilayer free magnetic layer having inserted nonmagnetic metal sublayer
  • Tunneling magnetoresistive element including multilayer free magnetic layer having inserted nonmagnetic metal sublayer
  • Tunneling magnetoresistive element including multilayer free magnetic layer having inserted nonmagnetic metal sublayer

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0112]A tunneling magnetoresistive element including a laminate 10 was fabricated. The laminate 10 included a free magnetic layer 6 including a first soft magnetic sublayer 13, a second soft magnetic sublayer 15, and a nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14 disposed there between, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0113]The laminate 10 included an underlying layer 1; Ta (30) / seed layer 2; Ni49at%Fe12at%Cr39at%(50) / antiferromagnetic layer 3; Ir26at%Mn74at% (70) / pinned magnetic layer 4 [first pinned magnetic sublayer 4a; Fe30at%Co70at%(16) / nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer 4b; Ru (8.5) / second pinned magnetic sublayer 4c; Co90at%Fe10at% (18)] / insulating barrier layer 5 / free magnetic layer 6 [enhancement sublayer 12; Fe90at%Co10at% (10) / first soft magnetic sublayer 13; Ni88at%Fe12at%(X) / nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14; Ta (3) / second soft magnetic sublayer 15; Ni88at%Fe12at%(20)] / first protective sublayer 7a; Ru (10) / second protective sublayer 7b; Ta (180), laminated in that order from the bottom.

[0114]The ...

example 2

[0124]A tunneling magnetoresistive element including a laminate 10 was fabricated. The laminate 10 included a free magnetic layer 6 including a first soft magnetic sublayer 13, a second soft magnetic sublayer 15, and a nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14 disposed therebetween, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0125]The laminate 10 included an underlying layer 1; Ta (30) / seed layer 2; Ni49at%Fe12at%Cr39at%(50) / antiferromagnetic layer 3; Ir26at%Mn74at% (70) / pinned magnetic layer 4 [first pinned magnetic sublayer 4a; Fe30at%Co70at%(16) / nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer 4b; Ru (8.5) / second pinned magnetic sublayer 4c; Co90at%Fe10at%(18)] / insulating barrier layer 5 / free magnetic layer 6 [enhancement sublayer 12; Fe90at%Co10at%(Y) / first soft magnetic sublayer 13; Ni88at%Fe12at%(20) / nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14; Ta (3) / second soft magnetic sublayer 15; Ni88at%Fe12at%(40)] / first protective sublayer 7a; Ru (10) / second protective sublayer 7b; Ta (180), laminated in that order from the bottom

[0126]The insu...

example 3

[0132]A tunneling magnetoresistive element including a laminate 10 was fabricated. The laminate 10 included a free magnetic layer 6 including a first soft magnetic sublayer 13, a second soft magnetic sublayer 15, and a nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14 disposed therebetween, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0133]The laminate 10 included an underlying layer 1; Ta (30) / seed layer 2; Ni49at%Fe12at%Cr39at%(50) / antiferromagnetic layer 3; Ir26at%Mn74at% (70) / pinned magnetic layer 4 [first pinned magnetic sublayer 4a; Fe30at%Co70at%(16) / nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer 4b; Ru (8.5) / second pinned magnetic sublayer 4c; Co90at%Fe10at%(18)] / insulating barrier layer 5 / free magnetic layer 6 [enhancement sublayer 12; Fe90at%Co10at%(10) / first soft magnetic sublayer 13; Ni88at%Fe12at%(20) / nonmagnetic metal sublayer 14; Ta (Z) / second soft magnetic sublayer 15; Ni88at%Fe12at%(40)] / first protective sublayer 7a; Ru (10) / second protective sublayer 7b; Ta (180), laminated in that order from the bottom

[0134]The ins...

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Abstract

A tunnel magnetoresistive element includes a laminate including a pinned magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer. The insulating barrier layer is composed of Ti—Mg—O or Ti—O. The free magnetic layer includes an enhancement sublayer, a first soft magnetic sublayer, a nonmagnetic metal sublayer, and a second soft magnetic sublayer. For example, the enhancement sublayer is composed of Co—Fe, the first soft magnetic sublayer and the second soft magnetic sublayer are composed of Ni—Fe, and the nonmagnetic metal sublayer is composed of Ta. The total thickness of the average thickness of the enhancement sublayer and the average thickness of the first soft magnetic sublayer is in the range of 25 to 80 angstroms. Accordingly, the tunneling magnetoresistive element can consistently have a higher rate of resistance change than before.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 671,783 filed on Jun. 2, 2007, which is entirely incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a tunneling magnetoresistive element that may be installed in hard disk drives or magnetic detectors, and more particularly, it relates to a tunneling magnetoresistive element that can achieve a high rate of resistance change (AR / R).[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) elements generate a resistance change by utilizing a tunneling effect. When the magnetization direction of a pinned magnetic layer is antiparallel to the magnetization direction of a free magnetic layer, less tunneling current flows through an insulating barrier layer (tunnel barrier layer) disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, and thereby the ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G11B5/706
CPCB82Y10/00B82Y25/00G11B5/3906G11B5/3909H10N50/10
InventorNISHIMURA, KAZUMASANAKABAYASHI, RYOIDE, YOSUKEISHIZONE, MASAHIKOSAITO, MASAMICHIHASEGAWA, NAOYANISHIYAMA, YOSHIHIROHANADA, AKIOKOBAYASHI, HIDEKAZU
OwnerALPS ALPINE CO LTD