公开(公告)号：US20100079917A1

公开(公告)日：2010-04-01

申请号：US12285069

申请日：2008-09-29

申请人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B5/3967 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： A first shield portion located below an MR stack includes a first main shield layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer, and a first magnetization controlling layer including a first ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the first antiferromagnetic layer. A second shield portion located on the MR stack includes a second main shield layer, a second antiferromagnetic layer, and a second magnetization controlling layer including a second ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the second antiferromagnetic layer. The MR stack includes two free layers magnetically coupled to the two magnetization controlling layers. Only one of the two magnetization controlling layers includes a third ferromagnetic layer that is antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled to the first or second ferromagnetic layer through a nonmagnetic middle layer. The first shield portion includes an underlayer disposed on the first main shield layer, and the first antiferromagnetic layer is disposed on the underlayer.

摘要翻译： 位于MR堆叠下方的第一屏蔽部分包括第一主屏蔽层，第一反铁磁层和包括与第一反铁磁层交换耦合的第一铁磁层的第一磁化控制层。 位于MR堆叠上的第二屏蔽部分包括第二主屏蔽层，第二反铁磁层和包括交换耦合到第二反铁磁层的第二铁磁层的第二磁化控制层。 MR堆叠包括磁耦合到两个磁化控制层的两个自由层。 两个磁化控制层中的仅一个包括通过非磁性中间层反铁磁交换耦合到第一或第二铁磁层的第三铁磁层。 第一屏蔽部分包括设置在第一主屏蔽层上的底层，并且第一反铁磁层设置在底层上。

公开(公告)号：US20100053820A1

公开(公告)日：2010-03-04

申请号：US12230604

申请日：2008-09-02

申请人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3932 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F10/3286

摘要： A magnetoresistive element includes first and second shield layers, an MR stack disposed therebetween, a first hard magnetic layer for setting the magnetization direction of the first shield layer, and a second hard magnetic layer for setting the magnetization direction of the second shield layer. The MR stack includes a first ferromagnetic layer magnetically coupled to the first shield layer, a second ferromagnetic layer magnetically coupled to the second shield layer, and a spacer layer between the first and second ferromagnetic layers. The first and second ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations that are in antiparallel directions when any external magnetic field other than a magnetic field resulting from the first and second hard magnetic layers is not applied to the two ferromagnetic layers, and that change their directions in response to an external magnetic field other than the magnetic field resulting from the first and second hard magnetic layers.

摘要翻译： 磁阻元件包括第一和第二屏蔽层，设置在其间的MR堆叠，用于设定第一屏蔽层的磁化方向的第一硬磁性层和用于设定第二屏蔽层的磁化方向的第二硬磁性层。 MR堆叠包括磁耦合到第一屏蔽层的第一铁磁层，与第二屏蔽层磁耦合的第二铁磁层，以及在第一和第二铁磁层之间的间隔层。 当由第一和第二硬磁性层产生的磁场以外的任何外部磁场不施加到两个铁磁层时，第一和第二铁磁层具有处于反平行方向的磁化，并且响应于 除了由第一和第二硬磁性层产生的磁场以外的外部磁场。

公开(公告)号：US07672085B2

公开(公告)日：2010-03-02

申请号：US11626562

申请日：2007-01-24

申请人： Shinji Hara ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno

发明人： Shinji Hara ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/4826 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device (CPP-GMR device) having a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetized layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with said spacer layer interleaved between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the spacer layer comprises a first and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interleaved between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, wherein the semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer is made of indium oxide (In2O3), or the semiconductor oxide layer contains indium oxide (In2O3) as its main component, and an oxide containing a tetravalent cation of SnO2 is contained in the indium oxide that is the main component. The semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer can thus be made thick while the device has a low area resistivity as desired, ensuring much more favorable advantages: ever higher MR performance, prevention of device area resistivity variations, and much improved reliability of film characteristics.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种具有CPP（垂直于平面的电流）结构的巨磁阻效应器件（CPP-GMR器件），其包括间隔层，以及固定磁化层和自由层，所述固定磁化层和自由层彼此层叠， 它们具有沿层叠方向施加的感测电流，其中间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料形成的第一和第二非磁性金属层和交错在第一和第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体氧化物层， 其中形成间隔层的一部分的半导体氧化物层由氧化铟（In 2 O 3）制成，或者半导体氧化物层包含氧化铟（In 2 O 3）作为其主要成分，并且包含含有SnO 4的四价阳离子的氧化物 作为主要成分的氧化铟。 因此，形成间隔层的一部分的半导体氧化物层可以制成厚度，同时器件根据需要具有低的面积电阻率，确保更有利的优点：越来越高的MR性能，防止器件面积电阻率变化和大大提高的可靠性 的电影特色。

公开(公告)号：US20090067099A1

公开(公告)日：2009-03-12

申请号：US11898335

申请日：2007-09-11

申请人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Takahiko Machita

发明人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Takahiko Machita

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： An MR element includes an MR stack including a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the first and the second ferromagnetic layer. The MR stack has an outer surface, and the spacer layer has a periphery located in the outer surface of the MR stack. The magnetoresistive element further includes a layered film that touches the periphery of the spacer layer. The spacer layer includes a semiconductor layer formed using an oxide semiconductor as a material. The layered film includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer stacked in this order. The first layer is formed of the same material as the semiconductor layer, and touches the periphery of the spacer layer. The second layer is a metal layer that forms a Schottky barrier at the interface between the first layer and the second layer. The third layer is an insulating layer.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括包括第一铁磁层，第二铁磁层和设置在第一和第二铁磁层之间的间隔层的MR堆叠。 MR堆叠具有外表面，并且间隔层具有位于MR堆叠的外表面中的周边。 磁阻元件还包括接触间隔层的周边的层状膜。 间隔层包括使用氧化物半导体作为材料形成的半导体层。 层叠膜包括依次堆叠的第一层，第二层和第三层。 第一层由与半导体层相同的材料形成，并且与间隔层的周边接触。 第二层是在第一层和第二层之间的界面处形成肖特基势垒的金属层。 第三层是绝缘层。

公开(公告)号：US08472149B2

公开(公告)日：2013-06-25

申请号：US11865384

申请日：2007-10-01

申请人： Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Takahiko Machita

发明人： Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Takahiko Machita

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： H01L43/08 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01F10/3259 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F41/307

摘要： The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device of the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure (CPP-GMR device) comprising a spacer layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked together with said spacer layer sandwiched between them, with a sense current passed in the stacking direction, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer function such that the angle made between the directions of magnetizations of both layers change relatively depending on an external magnetic field, said spacer layer contains a semiconductor oxide layer, and a nitrogen element-interface protective layer is provided at a position where the semiconductor oxide layer forming the whole or a part of said spacer layer contacts an insulating layer. Thus, there is a nitride of high covalent bonding capability formed at the surface of junction between the semiconductor oxide layer and the interface protective layer, so that the migration of oxygen from the semiconductor oxide layer to the insulating layer is inhibited; even when the device undergoes heat and stress in the process, fluctuations and deteriorations of device characteristics are held back.

公开(公告)号：US08049997B2

公开(公告)日：2011-11-01

申请号：US12285069

申请日：2008-09-29

申请人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B5/3967 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： A first shield portion located below an MR stack includes a first main shield layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer, and a first magnetization controlling layer including a first ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the first antiferromagnetic layer. A second shield portion located on the MR stack includes a second main shield layer, a second antiferromagnetic layer, and a second magnetization controlling layer including a second ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the second antiferromagnetic layer. The MR stack includes two free layers magnetically coupled to the two magnetization controlling layers. Only one of the two magnetization controlling layers includes a third ferromagnetic layer that is antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled to the first or second ferromagnetic layer through a nonmagnetic middle layer. The first shield portion includes an underlayer disposed on the first main shield layer, and the first antiferromagnetic layer is disposed on the underlayer.

摘要翻译： 位于MR堆叠下方的第一屏蔽部分包括第一主屏蔽层，第一反铁磁层和包括与第一反铁磁层交换耦合的第一铁磁层的第一磁化控制层。 位于MR堆叠上的第二屏蔽部分包括第二主屏蔽层，第二反铁磁层和包括交换耦合到第二反铁磁层的第二铁磁层的第二磁化控制层。 MR堆叠包括磁耦合到两个磁化控制层的两个自由层。 两个磁化控制层中的仅一个包括通过非磁性中间层反铁磁交换耦合到第一或第二铁磁层的第三铁磁层。 第一屏蔽部分包括设置在第一主屏蔽层上的底层，并且第一反铁磁层设置在底层上。

公开(公告)号：US07881021B2

公开(公告)日：2011-02-01

申请号：US12022538

申请日：2008-01-30

申请人： Tsutomu Chou ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Shinji Hara ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Hironobu Matsuzawa ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

发明人： Tsutomu Chou ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Shinji Hara ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Hironobu Matsuzawa ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3916 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B5/3967

摘要： A magnetoresistive device with CPP structure, comprising a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed with said nonmagnetic intermediate layer interposed between them, wherein each of said first and second ferromagnetic layers comprises a sensor area joining to the nonmagnetic intermediate layer and a magnetization direction control area that extends further rearward from the position of the rear end of said nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a magnetization direction control multilayer arrangement is interposed at an area where the magnetization direction control area for said first ferromagnetic layer is opposite to the magnetization direction control area for said second ferromagnetic layer to produce magnetizations of the said first and second ferromagnetic layers which are antiparallel with each other; and said sensor area is provided at both width direction ends with biasing layers working such that the mutually antiparallel magnetizations of said first and second ferromagnetic layers intersect in substantially orthogonal directions.

摘要翻译： 一种具有CPP结构的磁阻器件，包括非磁性中间层，以及第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层，所述第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层层叠并形成有位于它们之间的所述非磁性中间层，其中所述第一和第二铁磁层中的每一个包括连接到 所述非磁性中间层和从所述非磁性中间层的后端的位置向后延伸的磁化方向控制区域; 磁化方向控制多层布置被插入在所述第一铁磁层的磁化方向控制区域与所述第二铁磁层的磁化方向控制区域相反的区域处，以产生与所述第一和第二铁磁层反平行的所述第一和第二铁磁层的磁化 彼此; 并且所述传感器区域设置在两个宽度方向端，偏压层工作，使得所述第一和第二铁磁层的相互反平行磁化在大致正交的方向相交。

公开(公告)号：US07855859B2

公开(公告)日：2010-12-21

申请号：US12005273

申请日：2007-12-27

申请人： Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Tsuyoshi Ichiki ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa

发明人： Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Tsuyoshi Ichiki ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G01R33/098 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： In an MR element, first and second ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other through a spacer layer, and have magnetizations that are in opposite directions when no external magnetic field is applied thereto and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. The spacer layer and the second ferromagnetic layer are stacked in this order on the first ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer includes a plurality of ferromagnetic material layers stacked, and an insertion layer made of a nonmagnetic material and inserted between respective two of the ferromagnetic material layers that are adjacent to each other along the direction in which the layers are stacked. The ferromagnetic material layers and the spacer layer each include a component whose crystal structure is a face-centered cubic structure. The spacer layer and the insertion layer are each composed of an element having an atomic radius greater than that of at least one element constituting the ferromagnetic material layers.

摘要翻译： 在MR元件中，第一和第二铁磁层通过间隔层彼此反铁磁耦合，并且当不施加外部磁场并且响应于外部磁场改变方向时，具有相反方向的磁化。 间隔层和第二铁磁层依次堆叠在第一铁磁层上。 第一铁磁层包括堆叠的多个铁磁材料层和由非磁性材料制成的插入层，并且插入在彼此相邻的两个铁磁材料层之间，沿堆叠层的方向相邻。 铁磁材料层和间隔层各自包括晶体结构为面心立方结构的成分。 间隔层和插入层各自由原子半径大于构成铁磁体层的至少一个元素的原子半径的元素构成。

公开(公告)号：US20090290264A1

公开(公告)日：2009-11-26

申请号：US12126567

申请日：2008-05-23

申请人： Toshiyuki Ayukawa ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Shinji Hara ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya

发明人： Toshiyuki Ayukawa ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Shinji Hara ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3932

摘要： The invention provides a magnetoresistive device of the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure, comprising a magnetoresistive unit, and a first, substantially soft magnetic shield layer positioned below and a second, substantially soft magnetic shield layer positioned above, which are located and formed such that the magnetoresistive effect is sandwiched between them from above and below, with a sense current applied in the stacking direction. The magnetoresistive unit comprises a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed such that said nonmagnetic intermediate layer is sandwiched between them. At least one of the first shield layer positioned below and the second shield layer positioned above is configured in a framework form having a planar shape (X-Y plane) defined by the width and length directions of the device. The framework has a front frame-constituting portion located on a medium opposite plane side in front and near where the magnetoresistive unit is positioned, and any other frame portion. The any other frame portion partially comprises a combination of a nonmagnetic gap layer with a bias magnetic field-applying layer. The bias magnetic field-applying layer is constructed by repeating the stacking of a multilayer unit at least twice or up to 50 times, wherein the multilayer unit comprises a nonmagnetic underlay layer and a high-coercive material layer. The nonmagnetic gap layer is designed and located such that a magnetic flux given out of the bias magnetic field-applying layer is efficiently sent out to the front frame-constituting portion. The combination of the nonmagnetic gap layer with the bias magnetic field-applying layer forms a closed magnetic path with a magnetic flux going all the way around the framework, and turns the magnetization of the front frame-constituting portion into a single domain. It is thus possible to make the domain control of the shield layers much more stable, achieve remarkable improvements in resistance to an external magnetic field, and make the operation of the device much more reliable.

公开(公告)号：US20090168264A1

公开(公告)日：2009-07-02

申请号：US12005273

申请日：2007-12-27

申请人： Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Tsuyoshi Ichiki ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa

发明人： Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Tsuyoshi Ichiki ,  Toshiyuki Ayukawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G01R33/098 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： In an MR element, first and second ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other through a spacer layer, and have magnetizations that are in opposite directions when no external magnetic field is applied thereto and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. The spacer layer and the second ferromagnetic layer are stacked in this order on the first ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer includes a plurality of ferromagnetic material layers stacked, and an insertion layer made of a nonmagnetic material and inserted between respective two of the ferromagnetic material layers that are adjacent to each other along the direction in which the layers are stacked. The ferromagnetic material layers and the spacer layer each include a component whose crystal structure is a face-centered cubic structure. The spacer layer and the insertion layer are each composed of an element having an atomic radius greater than that of at least one element constituting the ferromagnetic material layers.

摘要翻译： 在MR元件中，第一和第二铁磁层通过间隔层彼此反铁磁耦合，并且当不施加外部磁场并且响应于外部磁场改变方向时，具有相反方向的磁化。 间隔层和第二铁磁层依次堆叠在第一铁磁层上。 第一铁磁层包括堆叠的多个铁磁材料层和由非磁性材料制成的插入层，并且插入在彼此相邻的两个铁磁材料层之间，沿堆叠层的方向相邻。 铁磁材料层和间隔层各自包括晶体结构为面心立方结构的成分。 间隔层和插入层各自由原子半径大于构成铁磁体层的至少一个元素的原子半径的元素构成。