公开(公告)号：US07957107B2

公开(公告)日：2011-06-07

申请号：US12502764

申请日：2009-07-14

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor has an antiparallel free (APF) structure as the free layer and a specific direction for the applied bias or sense current. The (APF) structure has a first free ferromagnetic (FL1), a second free ferromagnetic layer (FL2), and an antiparallel (AP) coupling (APC) layer that couples FL1 and FL2 together antiferromagnetically with the result that FL1 and FL2 have substantially antiparallel magnetization directions and rotate together in the presence of a magnetic field. The thickness of FL1 is preferably greater than the spin-diffusion length of the electrons in the FL1 material. The minimum thickness for FL2 is a thickness resulting in a FL2 magnetic moment equivalent to at least 10 Å Ni80Fe20 and preferably to at least 15 Å Ni80Fe20. The CPP sensor operates specifically with the conventional sense current (opposite the electron current) directed from the pinned ferromagnetic layer to the APF structure, which results in suppression of current-induced noise.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直平面（CPP）磁阻传感器具有作为自由层的反向平行自由（APF）结构和施加的偏置或感测电流的特定方向。 （APF）结构具有第一自由铁磁（FL1），第二自由铁磁层（FL2）和反FL-FL2与FL2耦合的反并联（AP）耦合（APC）层，其结果是FL1和FL2具有实质上 反平行磁化方向，并且在存在磁场的情况下一起旋转。 FL1的厚度优选大于FL1材料中的电子的自旋扩散长度。 FL2的最小厚度是导致等于至少10埃NiFeFe 2的FL2磁矩并且优选至少为15埃的Ni38Fe20的厚度。 CPP传感器与从钉扎铁磁层引导到APF结构的常规感测电流（与电子电流相反）特别地工作，这导致电流引起的噪声的抑制。

公开(公告)号：US07957106B2

公开(公告)日：2011-06-07

申请号：US11742313

申请日：2007-04-30

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3906 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  H01L43/08 ,  Y10T428/1121

摘要： Magnetoresistive (MR) read elements and associated methods of fabrication are disclosed. A free layer and/or a pinned layer of an MR read element are formed from a magnetic material such as Co2−x−yMn1+xAl1+y, Co2−x−yMn1+xSi1+y, Co2−x−yMn1+xGe1+y, and Co2−x−yFe1+xSi1+y, where x and y are selected to create an off-stoichiometric alloy having a crystalline structure that is chemically disordered. The chemically disordered magnetic material has a lower spin-polarization than a Heusler alloy, but still exhibits acceptable GMR amplitudes and low spin-torque noise.

摘要翻译： 公开了磁阻（MR）读取元件和相关的制造方法。 MR读取元件的自由层和/或固定层由诸如Co2-x-yMn1 + xAl1 + y，Co2-x-yMn1 + xSi1 + y，Co2-x-yMn1 + xGe1 + y和Co2-x-yFe1 + xSi1 + y，其中x和y被选择以产生具有化学紊乱的晶体结构的非化学计量合金。 化学无序磁性材料具有比Heusler合金更低的自旋极化，但仍然表现出可接受的GMR振幅和低的自旋扭矩噪声。

公开(公告)号：US20090297700A1

公开(公告)日：2009-12-03

申请号：US12131863

申请日：2008-06-02

申请人： Thomas R. Berthold ,  Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Jordan Asher Katine ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Thomas R. Berthold ,  Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Jordan Asher Katine ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： B05D5/12

CPC分类号： H01F41/307 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y30/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/005 ,  H01F10/3259 ,  H01F10/3272

摘要： A method of making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) sensor with a confined-current-path (CCP) layer uses an array of self-assembled ferritin protein molecules with inorganic cores to make the CCP layer in the sensor stack. In one embodiment, the ferritin molecules with cores of insulating oxide particles are deposited on an electrically conductive support layer and the ferritin molecules are dissolved, leaving an array of insulating oxide particles. An electrically conducting layer is deposited over the oxide particles and into the regions between the oxide particles to form the CCP layer. In another embodiment, the ferritin molecules with inorganic particles in their cores are deposited on an electrically insulating support layer and the ferritin molecules are dissolved, leaving an array of inorganic particles that function as an etch mask. The insulating support layer is then etched through the mask to form vias down to the underlying layer on which the support layer is formed. An electrically conducting layer is then deposited to form the CCP layer.

摘要翻译： 使用限制电流路径（CCP）层制造电流垂直于平面的巨磁阻（CPP-GMR）传感器的方法使用具有无机芯的自组装铁蛋白分子阵列来制备CCP 传感器堆叠中的层。 在一个实施方案中，具有绝缘氧化物颗粒核心的铁蛋白分子沉积在导电支撑层上，铁蛋白分子溶解，留下绝缘氧化物颗粒阵列。 将导电层沉积在氧化物颗粒上并进入氧化物颗粒之间的区域中以形成CCP层。 在另一个实施方案中，其核心中具有无机颗粒的铁蛋白分子沉积在电绝缘支撑层上，并且铁蛋白分子被溶解，留下用作蚀刻掩模的无机颗粒阵列。 然后通过掩模蚀刻绝缘支撑层，以形成通向下面到其上形成有支撑层的下层的通孔。 然后沉积导电层以形成CCP层。

公开(公告)号：US20080268290A1

公开(公告)日：2008-10-30

申请号：US11742313

申请日：2007-04-30

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/3906 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  H01L43/08 ,  Y10T428/1121

摘要： Magnetoresistive (MR) read elements and associated methods of fabrication are disclosed. A free layer and/or a pinned layer of an MR read element are formed from a magnetic material such as Co2−x−yMn1+xAl1+y, Co2−x−yMn1+xSi1+y, Co2−x−yMn1+xGe1+y, and Co2−x−yFe1+xSi1+y, where x and y are selected to create an off-stoichiometric alloy having a crystalline structure that is chemically disordered. The chemically disordered magnetic material has a lower spin-polarization than a Heusler alloy, but still exhibits acceptable GMR amplitudes and low spin-torque noise.

摘要翻译： 公开了磁阻（MR）读取元件和相关的制造方法。 MR读取元件的自由层和/或钉扎层由诸如Co 2-xy Mn 1 + x Al 1 + 1的磁性材料形成， Co 2-xy Mn 1 + x 1 Si 1 + y 2，Co 2-xy > Mn 1 + x 1 Ge + 1 + y＆gt;和Co 2-xy Fe 1 + x Si > 1 + y

公开(公告)号：US07289304B2

公开(公告)日：2007-10-30

申请号：US10977300

申请日：2004-10-29

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

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

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane spin-valve (CPP-SV) magnetoresistive sensor has an improved antiparallel (AP) pinned structure. The AP-pinned structure has two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic antiparallel coupling (APC) layer and with their magnetization directions oriented antiparallel. One of the ferromagnetic layers in the AP-pinned structure is the reference layer in contact with the CPP-SV sensor's nonmagnetic electrically conducting spacer layer. In the improved AP-pinned structure each of the ferromagnetic layers has a thickness greater than 30 Å, preferably greater than approximately 50 Å, and the APC layer is either Ru or Ir with a thickness less than 7 Å, preferably about 5 Å or less. The ultrathin APC layer, especially if formed of iridium (Ir), provides significant coupling strength to allow the thick ferromagnetic layers to retain their magnetization directions in a stable antiparallel orientation.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直于平面的自旋阀（CPP-SV）磁阻传感器具有改进的反平行（AP）钉扎结构。 AP钉扎结构具有由非磁性反平行耦合（APC）层分离并且其磁化方向反平行取向的两个铁磁层。 AP钉扎结构中的一个铁磁层是与CPP-SV传感器的非磁性导电间隔层接触的参考层。 在改进的AP钉扎结构中，每个铁磁层的厚度大于30埃，优选大于约400埃，APC层是厚度小于7埃，优选约5埃或更小的Ru或Ir 。 超薄APC层，特别是如果由铱（Ir）形成，则提供显着的耦合强度，以使厚的铁磁层保持其稳定的反向平行取向的磁化方向。

公开(公告)号：US20130236639A1

公开(公告)日：2013-09-12

申请号：US13415808

申请日：2012-03-08

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Shekar B. Chandrashekariaih ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Young-suk Choi ,  John Creighton Read

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Shekar B. Chandrashekariaih ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Young-suk Choi ,  John Creighton Read

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3163 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01F10/1936 ,  H01F10/3268 ,  H01F10/3295 ,  H01F41/303 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： A method for making a current-perpendicular-to the-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) sensor with a Heusler alloy pinned layer on the sensor's Mn-containing antiferromagnetic pinning layer uses two annealing steps. A layer of a crystalline non-Heusler alloy ferromagnetic material, like Co or CoFe, is deposited on the antiferromagnetic pinning layer and a layer of an amorphous X-containing ferromagnetic alloy, like a CoFeBTa layer, is deposited on the Co or CoFe crystalline layer. After a first in-situ annealing of the amorphous X-containing ferromagnetic alloy, the Heusler alloy pinned layer is deposited on the amorphous X-containing ferromagnetic layer and a second high-temperature annealing step is performed to improve the microstructure of the Heusler alloy pinned layer.

摘要翻译： 在传感器的含Mn反铁磁性钉扎层上制造具有Heusler合金钉扎层的电流垂直于平面的巨磁电阻（CPP-GMR）传感器的方法采用两个退火步骤。 一层结晶的非Heusler合金铁磁材料，如Co或CoFe，沉积在反铁磁性钉扎层上，并且含有非晶态的含铁铁磁性合金如CoFeBTa层沉积在Co或CoFe晶体层上 。 在非晶态含铁铁磁性合金的第一次原位退火之后，将Heusler合金钉扎层沉积在含非晶态的铁磁性层上，并执行第二个高温退火步骤，以改善Heusler合金被钉扎的微结构 层。

公开(公告)号：US08385026B2

公开(公告)日：2013-02-26

申请号：US12545776

申请日：2009-08-21

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3909 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10

摘要： A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) device, like a TMR read head for a magnetic recording disk drive, has low magnetic damping, and thus low mag-noise, as a result of the addition of a ferromagnetic backing layer to the ferromagnetic free layer. The backing layer is a material with a low Gilbert damping constant or parameter α, the well-known dimensionless coefficient in the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The backing layer may have a thickness such that it contributes up to two-thirds of the total moment/area of the combined free layer and backing layer. The backing layer may be formed of a material having a composition selected from (CoxFe(100-x))(100-y)Xy, (Co2Mn)(100-y)Xy and (Co2FexMn(1-x))(100-y)Xy, where X is selected from Ge, Al and Si, and (Co2Fe)(100-y)Aly, where y is in a range that results in a low damping constant for the material.

摘要翻译： 隧道磁阻（TMR）器件，如磁记录盘驱动器的TMR读头，由于向铁磁性自由层添加铁磁背衬层，所以具有较低的磁阻尼，因而具有较低的磁场噪声。 背衬层是具有低吉尔伯特阻尼常数或参数α的材料，Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert方程中众所周知的无量纲系数。 背衬层可以具有使得其贡献高达组合的自由层和背衬层的总矩/面积的三分之二的厚度。 背衬层可以由具有选自（CoxFe（100-x））（100-y）Xy，（Co2Mn）（100-y）Xy和（Co2FexMn（1-x））（100- y）Xy，其中X选自Ge，Al和Si，和（Co 2 Fe）（100-y）Aly，其中y在导致材料的阻尼常数低的范围内。

公开(公告)号：US08351165B2

公开(公告)日：2013-01-08

申请号：US12904060

申请日：2010-10-13

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/398 ,  G11B5/3983 ,  H01L43/10

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane spin-valve (CPP-SV) magnetoresistive sensor has a ferromagnetic alloy comprising Co, Fe and Ge in the sensor's free layer and/or pinned layer and a spacer layer of Ag, Cu or a AgCu alloy between the free and pinned layers. The sensor may be a simple pinned structure, in which case the pinned layer may be formed of the CoFeGe ferromagnetic alloy. Alternatively, the sensor may have an AP-pinned layer structure, in which case the AP2layer may be formed of the CoFeGe ferromagnetic alloy. The Ge-containing alloy comprises Co, Fe and Ge, wherein Ge is present in the alloy in an amount between about 20 and 40 atomic percent, and wherein the ratio of Co to Fe in the alloy is between about 0.8 and 1.2.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直于平面的自旋阀（CPP-SV）磁阻传感器在传感器的自由层和/或被钉扎层中具有包含Co，Fe和Ge的铁磁合金和Ag，Cu或 AgCu合金在自由和固定层之间。 传感器可以是简单的钉扎结构，在这种情况下，被钉扎层可以由CoFeGe铁磁合金形成。 或者，传感器可以具有AP钉扎层结构，在这种情况下，AP2层可以由CoFeGe铁磁性合金形成。 含Ge合金包括Co，Fe和Ge，其中Ge在合金中以约20至40原子％的量存在，并且其中合金中Co与Fe的比率在约0.8和1.2之间。

公开(公告)号：US08233247B2

公开(公告)日：2012-07-31

申请号：US12101453

申请日：2008-04-11

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A “scissoring-type” current-perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) sensor has magnetically damped free layers. In one embodiment each of the two free layers is in contact with a damping layer that comprises Pt or Pd, or a lanthanoid (an element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, and Lu). Each of the two free layers has one of its surfaces in contact with the sensor's electrically conducting nonmagnetic spacer layer and its other surface in contact with its associated damping layer. A nonmagnetic film may be located between each free layer and its associated damping layer. In another embodiment the damping element is present as a dopant or impurity in each of the two free layers. In another embodiment a nanolayer of the damping element is located within each of the two free layers.

摘要翻译： “剪切型”电流垂直于平面的巨磁阻（CPP-GMR）传感器具有磁阻自由层。 在一个实施方案中，两个自由层中的每一个与包含Pt或Pd或镧系元素（选自La，Ce，Pr，Nd，Pm，Sm，Eu，Gd， Tb，Dy，Ho，Er，Th，Yb和Lu）。 两个自由层中的每一个具有与传感器的导电非磁性间隔层接触的其一个表面，并且其另一个表面与其相关联的阻尼层接触。 非磁性膜可以位于每个自由层与其相关阻尼层之间。 在另一个实施例中，阻尼元件作为两个自由层中的每一个中的掺杂剂或杂质存在。 在另一个实施方案中，阻尼元件的纳米层位于两个自由层的每一个内。

公开(公告)号：US20110026168A1

公开(公告)日：2011-02-03

申请号：US12904060

申请日：2010-10-13

申请人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew J. Carey ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/398 ,  G11B5/3983 ,  H01L43/10

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane spin-valve (CPP-SV) magnetoresistive sensor has a ferromagnetic alloy comprising Co, Fe and Ge in the sensor's free layer and/or pinned layer and a spacer layer of Ag, Cu or a AgCu alloy between the free and pinned layers. The sensor may be a simple pinned structure, in which case the pinned layer may be formed of the CoFeGe ferromagnetic alloy. Alternatively, the sensor may have an AP-pinned layer structure, in which case the AP2 layer may be formed of the CoFeGe ferromagnetic alloy. The Ge-containing alloy comprises Co, Fe and Ge, wherein Ge is present in the alloy in an amount between about 20 and 40 atomic percent, and wherein the ratio of Co to Fe in the alloy is between about 0.8 and 1.2. More particularly, the CoFeGe alloy may consist essentially of only Co, Fe and Ge according to the formula (CoxFe(100-x))(100-y)Gey where the subscripts represent atomic percent, x is between about 45 and 55, and y is between about 23 and 37.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直于平面的自旋阀（CPP-SV）磁阻传感器在传感器的自由层和/或被钉扎层中具有包含Co，Fe和Ge的铁磁合金和Ag，Cu或 AgCu合金在自由和固定层之间。 传感器可以是简单的钉扎结构，在这种情况下，被钉扎层可以由CoFeGe铁磁合金形成。 或者，传感器可以具有AP钉扎层结构，在这种情况下，AP2层可以由CoFeGe铁磁合金形成。 含Ge合金包括Co，Fe和Ge，其中Ge在合金中以约20至40原子％的量存在，并且其中合金中Co与Fe的比率在约0.8和1.2之间。 更具体地说，CoFeGe合金基本上仅由根据式（CoxFe（100-x））（100-y）的Co，Fe和Ge组成，其中下标表示原子百分比，x在约45和55之间， y在约23和37之间。