公开(公告)号：US6023395A

公开(公告)日：2000-02-08

申请号：US87334

申请日：1998-05-29

申请人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Tsann Lin ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

发明人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Tsann Lin ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

IPC分类号： G01R33/09 ,  G11B5/39

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) magnetoresistive (MR) read head has one fixed ferromagnetic layer and one sensing ferromagnetic layer on opposite sides of the tunnel barrier layer, and with a biasing ferromagnetic layer in the MTJ stack of layers that is magnetostatically coupled with the sensing ferromagnetic layer to provide either longitudinal bias or transverse bias or a combination of longitudinal and transverse bias fields to the sensing ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic tunnel junction in the MTJ MR head is formed on an electrical lead on a substrate and is made up of a stack of layers. The layers in the stack are an antiferromagnetic layer, a fixed ferromagnetic layer exchange biased with the antiferromagnetic layer so that its magnetic moment cannot rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field, an insulating tunnel barrier layer in contact with the fixed ferromagnetic layer, a sensing ferromagnetic layer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and whose magnetic moment is free to rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field, a biasing ferromagnetic layer that has its magnetic moment aligned generally within the plane of the device and a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer separating the biasing ferromagnetic layer from the other layers in the stack. The self field or demagnetizing field from the biasing ferromagnetic layer magnetostatically couples with the edges of the sensing ferromagnetic layer to stabilize its magnetic moment, and, to linearize the output of the device. The electrically conductive spacer layer prevents direct ferromagnetic coupling between the biasing ferromagnetic layer and the other layers in the stack and allows sense current to flow perpendicularly through the layers in the MTJ stack.

摘要翻译： 磁隧道结（MTJ）磁阻（MR）读头在隧道势垒层的相对侧上具有一个固定的铁磁层和一个感测铁磁层，并且在与静电耦合的MTJ堆叠层中具有偏置铁磁层 感测铁磁层以向感测铁磁层提供纵向偏置或横向偏置或纵向和横向偏置场的组合。 MTJ MR头中的磁性隧道结形成在基板上的电引线上，并且由一叠层组成。 堆叠中的层是反铁磁层，固定的铁磁层与反铁磁层交替偏置，使得其在施加的磁场存在的情况下不能旋转，与固定铁磁层接触的绝缘隧道势垒层， 感测与隧道势垒层接触的铁磁层，并且其磁矩在施加的磁场存在的情况下自由旋转，偏磁铁磁层的磁矩大致在器件的平面内，非磁性导电间隔物 将偏置铁磁层与堆叠中的其它层分离。 来自偏置铁磁层的自场或去磁场与感测铁磁层的边缘静磁耦合以稳定其磁矩，并且使器件的输出线性化。 导电间隔层防止偏置铁磁层与堆叠中的其他层之间的直接铁磁耦合，并且允许感测电流垂直地流过MTJ堆叠中的层。

公开(公告)号：US5898548A

公开(公告)日：1999-04-27

申请号：US957787

申请日：1997-10-24

申请人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

发明人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

IPC分类号： G11B5/39 ,  G11B5/33 ,  H01F10/16 ,  H01F10/32 ,  H01L43/08

CPC分类号： G11B5/332 ,  G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3912

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) magnetoresistive read head for a magnetic recording system has the MTJ device located between two spaced-apart magnetic shields. The magnetic shields, which allow the head to detect individual magnetic transitions from the magnetic recording medium without interference from neighboring transitions, also function as electrical leads for connection of the head to sense circuitry. Electrically conductive spacer layers are located at the top and bottom of the MTJ device and connect the MTJ device to the shields. The thickness of the spacer layers is selected to optimize the spacing between the shields, which is a parameter that controls the linear resolution of the data that can be read from the magnetic recording medium. To reduce the likelihood of electrical shorting between the shields if the shield-to-shield spacing is too small, each of the shields can have a pedestal region with the MTJ device located between the two pedestals, so that the shield-to-shield spacing outside the pedestal regions is greater than in the pedestal regions.

摘要翻译： 用于磁记录系统的磁性隧道结（MTJ）磁阻读取头具有位于两个间隔开的磁屏蔽之间的MTJ器件。 允许头部从磁记录介质检测各个磁转变而不受相邻转变的干扰的磁屏蔽也用作用于将头连接到感测电路的电引线。 导电间隔层位于MTJ设备的顶部和底部，并将MTJ设备连接到屏蔽。 选择间隔层的厚度以优化屏蔽之间的间隔，这是控制可从磁记录介质读取的数据的线性分辨率的参数。 为了减少屏蔽间隔太小的屏蔽之间的电气短路的可能性，每个屏蔽件可以具有基座区域，MTJ装置位于两个基座之间，使得屏蔽与屏蔽间隔 在基座区域外部大于基座区域。

公开(公告)号：US6114719A

公开(公告)日：2000-09-05

申请号：US87553

申请日：1998-05-29

申请人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Tsann Linn ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

发明人： Frederick Hayes Dill ,  Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Tsann Linn ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

IPC分类号： G11C11/15 ,  H01L29/76

CPC分类号： H01L43/08 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L27/224

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell uses a biasing ferromagnetic layer in the MTJ stack of layers that is magnetostatically coupled with the free ferromagnetic layer in the MTJ stack to provide transverse and/or longitudinal bias fields to the free ferromagnetic layer. The MTJ is formed on an electrical lead on a substrate and is made up of a stack of layers. The layers in the MTJ stack are an antiferromagnetic layer, a fixed ferromagnetic layer exchange biased with the antiferromagnetic layer so that its magnetic moment cannot rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field, an insulating tunnel barrier layer in contact with the fixed ferromagnetic layer, a free ferromagnetic layer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and whose magnetic moment is free to rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field, and whose moment, in the absence of any applied field, is generally either parallel or antiparallel to that of the fixed ferromagnetic layer, a biasing ferromagnetic layer that has its magnetic moment aligned generally in the plane of the MTJ, and a nonferromagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer separating the biasing ferromagnetic layer from the other layers in the stack. The self field or demagnetizing field from the biasing layer magnetostatically couples with the edges of the free layer so as to provide a transverse bias field, which results in a coherent rotation of the moment of the free layer, and/or a longitudinal bias field, which assures that the two states of the memory cell are equally stable with respect to magnetic field excursions.

摘要翻译： 磁性隧道结（MTJ）存储单元使用与MTJ堆叠中的自由铁磁层磁静电耦合的MTJ堆叠层中的偏置铁磁层，以向自由铁磁层提供横向和/或纵向偏置场。 MTJ形成在基板上的电引线上，并且由一叠层组成。 MTJ堆叠中的层是反铁磁层，固定的铁磁层与反铁磁层交替偏置，使得其在施加的磁场存在的情况下不能旋转，与固定铁磁层接触的绝缘隧道势垒层， 与隧道势垒层接触的自由铁磁层，其磁矩在施加的磁场的存在下自由旋转，并且其在没有任何施加磁场的情况下的时刻通常是平行或反平行的 固定铁磁层，其磁矩大致在MTJ的平面内的偏置铁磁层，以及将偏置铁磁层与堆叠中的其它层分离的非铁磁导电间隔层。 来自偏置层的自场或去磁场与自由层的边缘静磁耦合，以便提供横向偏置场，这导致自由层的力矩和/或纵向偏置场的相干旋转， 这确保了存储器单元的两个状态相对于磁场偏移同样稳定。

公开(公告)号：US06005753A

公开(公告)日：1999-12-21

申请号：US87322

申请日：1998-05-29

申请人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

发明人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

IPC分类号： G01R33/06 ,  G11B5/39

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G01R33/06 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head has one fixed ferromagnetic layer and one generally rectangularly shaped sensing ferromagnetic layer on opposite sides of the tunnel barrier layer, and a biasing ferromagnetic layer located around the side edges and back edges of the sensing ferromagnetic layer. An electrically insulating layer separates the biasing layer from the edges of the sensing layer. The biasing layer is a continuous boundary biasing layer that has side regions and a back region to surround the three edges of the sensing layer. When the biasing layer is a single layer with contiguous side and back regions its magnetic moment can be selected to make an angle with the long edges of the sensing layer. In this manner the biasing layer provides both a transverse bias field to compensate for transverse ferromagnetic coupling and magnetostatic coupling fields acting on the sensing layer to thus provide for a linear response of the head and a longitudinal bias field to stabilize the head. The biasing layer may also be formed with discrete side regions and a back region. The discrete side regions may have a magnetic moment oriented in a different direction from the moment of the back region in order to provide the correct combination of transverse and longitudinal bias fields.

摘要翻译： 磁性隧道结磁阻读取头在隧道势垒层的相对侧具有一个固定的铁磁层和一个大致矩形的感测铁磁层，以及位于感测铁磁层的侧边缘和后边缘周围的偏置铁磁层。 电绝缘层将偏置层与感测层的边缘分开。 偏置层是连续的边界偏置层，其具有围绕感测层的三个边缘的侧面区域和后部区域。 当偏置层是具有相邻侧面和后部区域的单层时，其磁矩可以被选择成与感测层的长边缘形成一个角度。 以这种方式，偏置层提供横向偏置场以补偿作用在感测层上的横向铁磁耦合和静磁耦合场，从而提供头部的线性响应和纵向偏置场以稳定头部。 偏压层也可以形成有离散的侧部区域和后部区域。 离散的侧部区域可以具有与从后部区域的力矩不同的方向定向的磁矩，以便提供横向和纵向偏置场的正确组合。

公开(公告)号：US5898547A

公开(公告)日：1999-04-27

申请号：US957699

申请日：1997-10-24

申请人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

发明人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang

IPC分类号： G11B5/39 ,  G11B5/40 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3916 ,  G11B5/3169 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3967 ,  G11B5/40

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) magnetoresistive read head for a magnetic recording system has the MTJ sensing or free ferromagnetic layer also functioning as a flux guide to direct magnetic flux from the magnetic recording medium to the tunnel junction. The MTJ fixed ferromagnetic layer has its front edge recessed from the sensing surface of the head. Both the fixed and free ferromagnetic layers are in contact with opposite surfaces of the MTJ tunnel barrier layer but the free ferromagnetic layer extends beyond the back edge of either the tunnel barrier layer or the fixed ferromagnetic layer, whichever back edge is closer to the sensing surface. This assures that the magnetic flux is non-zero in the tunnel junction region. The magnetization direction of the fixed ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a direction generally perpendicular to the sensing surface and thus to the magnetic recording medium, preferably by interfacial exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer. The magnetization direction of the free ferromagnetic layer is aligned in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the medium in the absence of an applied magnetic field and is free to rotate in the presence of applied magnetic fields from the medium. A layer of high coercivity hard magnetic material adjacent the sides of the free ferromagnetic layer longitudinally biases the magnetization of the free ferromagnetic layer in the preferred direction.

摘要翻译： 用于磁记录系统的磁隧道结（MTJ）磁阻读取头具有MTJ感测或自由铁磁层，还用作磁通指引，以将磁通量从磁记录介质引导到隧道结。 MTJ固定铁磁层的前缘从头部的感测表面凹陷。 固定和自由铁磁层都与MTJ隧道势垒层的相对表面接触，但自由铁磁层延伸超过隧道势垒层或固定铁磁层的后边缘，无论哪个后边缘更靠近感测表面 。 这确保了隧道结区域中的磁通量不为零。 固定铁磁层的磁化方向固定在大致垂直于感测表面的方向上，并因此固定在磁记录介质上，优选地通过与反铁磁层的界面交换耦合。 在没有施加的磁场的情况下，自由铁磁层的磁化方向在大致平行于介质的表面的方向上排列，并且在存在来自介质的施加的磁场的情况下自由旋转。 邻近自由铁磁层侧面的高矫顽磁性硬磁材料层沿优选方向纵向偏置自由铁磁层的磁化。

公开(公告)号：US5901018A

公开(公告)日：1999-05-04

申请号：US957788

申请日：1997-10-24

申请人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang ,  Mason Lamar Williams

发明人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Ching Hwa Tsang ,  Mason Lamar Williams

IPC分类号： G11B5/39 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/332

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) magnetoresistive read head for a magnetic recording system has the MTJ sensing or free ferromagnetic layer also functioning as a flux guide to direct magnetic flux from the magnetic recording medium to the tunnel junction. The MTJ fixed ferromagnetic layer and the MTJ tunnel barrier layer have their front edges substantially coplanar with the sensing surface of the head. Both the fixed and free ferromagnetic layers are in contact with opposite surfaces of the MTJ tunnel barrier layer but the free ferromagnetic layer extends beyond the back edge of either the tunnel barrier layer or the fixed ferromagnetic layer, whichever back edge is closer to the sensing surface. This assures that the magnetic flux is non-zero in the tunnel junction region. The magnetization direction of the fixed ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a direction generally perpendicular to the sensing surface and thus to the magnetic recording medium, preferably by interfacial exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer. The magnetization direction of the free ferromagnetic layer is aligned in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the medium in the absence of an applied magnetic field and is free to rotate in the presence of applied magnetic fields from the medium. A layer of high coercivity hard magnetic material adjacent the sides of the free ferromagnetic layer longitudinally biases the magnetization of the free ferromagnetic layer in the preferred direction.

摘要翻译： 用于磁记录系统的磁隧道结（MTJ）磁阻读取头具有MTJ感测或自由铁磁层，还用作磁通指引，以将磁通量从磁记录介质引导到隧道结。 MTJ固定铁磁层和MTJ隧道阻挡层的前缘基本上与头部的感测表面共面。 固定和自由铁磁层都与MTJ隧道势垒层的相对表面接触，但自由铁磁层延伸超过隧道势垒层或固定铁磁层的后边缘，无论哪个后边缘更靠近感测表面 。 这确保了隧道结区域中的磁通量不为零。 固定铁磁层的磁化方向固定在大致垂直于感测表面的方向上，并因此固定在磁记录介质上，优选地通过与反铁磁层的界面交换耦合。 在没有施加的磁场的情况下，自由铁磁层的磁化方向在大致平行于介质的表面的方向上对齐，并且在存在来自介质的施加的磁场的情况下自由旋转。 邻近自由铁磁层侧面的高矫顽磁性硬磁材料层沿优选方向纵向偏置自由铁磁层的磁化。

公开(公告)号：US5729410A

公开(公告)日：1998-03-17

申请号：US757422

申请日：1996-11-27

申请人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

发明人： Robert Edward Fontana, Jr. ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

IPC分类号： G01R33/09 ,  G11B5/39 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/08 ,  G11C11/00 ,  H01L41/12

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/08 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  G11B5/3932

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction device for use as a magnetic memory cell or a magnetic field sensor has one fixed ferromagnetic layer and one sensing ferromagnetic layer formed on opposite sides of the insulating tunnel barrier layer, and a hard biasing ferromagnetic layer that is electrically insulated from but yet magnetostatically coupled with the sensing ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic tunnel junction in the device is formed on an electrical lead on a substrate and is made up of a stack of layers. The layers in the stack are an antiferromagnetic layer, a fixed ferromagnetic layer exchange biased with the antfferromagnetic layer so that its magnetic moment cannot rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field, an insulating tunnel barrier layer in contact with the fixed ferromagnetic layer, and a sensing ferromagnetic layer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and whose magnetic moment is free to rotate in the presence of an applied magnetic field. The stack is generally rectangularly shaped with parallel side edges. A layer of hard biasing ferromagnetic material is located near to but spaced from the side edges of the sensing ferromagnetic layer to longitudinally bias the magnetic moment of the sensing ferromagnetic layer in a preferred direction. A layer of electrically insulating material isolates the hard biasing material from the electrical lead and the sensing ferromagnetic layer so that sense current is not shunted to the hard biasing material but is allowed to flow perpendicularly through the layers in the stack.

摘要翻译： 用作磁存储单元或磁场传感器的磁性隧道结装置具有形成在绝缘隧道势垒层的相对侧上的一个固定铁磁层和一个感测铁磁层，以及与...绝缘的硬偏磁铁磁层 然后与传感铁磁层静磁耦合。 器件中的磁性隧道结形成在衬底上的电引线上，并且由一叠层组成。 堆叠中的层是反铁磁层，固定铁磁层与铁磁层交换偏置，使得其磁矩不能在施加的磁场存在下旋转，绝缘隧道势垒层与固定铁磁层接触，以及 与隧道势垒层接触的感测铁磁层，其磁矩在施加的磁场的存在下自由旋转。 该堆叠通常为具有平行侧边缘的矩形形状。 硬偏压铁磁材料层位于感测铁磁层的侧边缘附近但与其隔开的位置，以纵向偏置感测铁磁层在优选方向上的磁矩。 电绝缘材料层将硬偏压材料与电引线和感测铁磁层隔离，使得感测电流不被分流到硬偏压材料，而是允许垂直于堆叠中的层流动。

公开(公告)号：US08936293B2

公开(公告)日：2015-01-20

申请号：US13333688

申请日：2011-12-21

申请人： Christopher O. Lada ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Mahesh Govind Samant

发明人： Christopher O. Lada ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Mahesh Govind Samant

IPC分类号： B66F19/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/68707

摘要： A device for use in the semiconductor industry includes a robotic arm whose end effector includes electromagnetic means to hold a substrate carrier. A pushing member can move independently of a flat, spatula-like portion of the device and is configured to exert force against the substrate carrier while the spatula-like portion is retracted from the substrate carrier, after the substrate carrier has been brought to its intended position. In this manner, the position of the substrate carrier is maintained at its intended position as the spatula-like portion is retracted.

摘要翻译： 用于半导体工业的器件包括机器人臂，其末端执行器包括用于保持衬底载体的电磁装置。 推动构件可以独立于装置的平坦的刮铲状部分移动，并且构造成在基板载体已经达到其预期之后，当刮板状部分从基板载体缩回时，向基板载体施加力 位置。 以这种方式，当刮刀状部分缩回时，基板载体的位置保持在其预定位置。

公开(公告)号：US08638601B1

公开(公告)日：2014-01-28

申请号：US13543061

申请日：2012-07-06

申请人： Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Luc Thomas ,  See-Hun Yang

发明人： Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Luc Thomas ,  See-Hun Yang

IPC分类号： G11C11/14

CPC分类号： G11C19/0841 ,  G11C11/14 ,  G11C11/161 ,  G11C11/1675

摘要： Magnetic wires that include cobalt, nickel, and platinum layers show improved domain wall motion properties, when the domain walls are driven by pulses of electrical current. These wires exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, thereby supporting the propagation of narrow domain walls. The direction of motion of the domain walls can be influenced by the order in which the platinum and cobalt layers are arranged.

摘要翻译： 当畴壁由电流脉冲驱动时，包括钴，镍和铂层的磁线显示改善的畴壁运动特性。 这些线表现出垂直的磁各向异性，从而支持窄畴壁的传播。 畴壁的运动方向可能受到排列铂和钴层的顺序的影响。

公开(公告)号：US08008097B2

公开(公告)日：2011-08-30

申请号：US12554420

申请日：2009-09-04

申请人： Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

发明人： Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

IPC分类号： H01L21/285

CPC分类号： H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： MgO tunnel barriers are formed by depositing a thin layer of Mg on a suitable underlayer, and then directing oxygen and additional Mg towards the Mg layer. The oxygen reacts with the additional Mg and the Mg in the Mg layer to form a MgO tunnel barrier that enjoys excellent tunneling characteristics. The MgO tunnel barriers so formed may be used in magnetic tunnel junctions having tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) values of greater than 100%. The highest TMR values are observed for junctions that have been annealed and that have a (100) crystallographic orientation.

摘要翻译： 通过在合适的底层上沉积薄层的Mg，然后将氧和附加的Mg导向Mg层，形成MgO隧道势垒。 氧与Mg层中的附加Mg和Mg反应形成具有优异隧道特性的MgO隧道势垒。 如此形成的MgO隧道势垒可用于具有大于100％的隧道磁阻（TMR）值的磁隧道结。 观察到已经退火并具有（100）晶体取向的结的最高TMR值。