公开(公告)号：US07782575B2

公开(公告)日：2010-08-24

申请号：US11698180

申请日：2007-01-26

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/59683 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： An MR element includes: a free layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; a pinned layer having a fixed direction of magnetization; and a spacer layer disposed between these layers. The spacer layer includes a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer that is made of a material containing an oxide semiconductor and that is disposed between the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers. The MR element has a resistance-area product within a range of 0.1 to 0.3Ω·μm2, and the spacer layer has a conductivity within a range of 133 to 432 S/cm.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括：具有响应于信号磁场而改变的磁化方向的自由层; 具有固定的磁化方向的钉扎层; 以及设置在这些层之间的间隔层。 间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料制成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层，以及由含有氧化物半导体的材料制成并且设置在第一和第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体层。 MR元件的电阻面积为0.1〜0.3Ω·Ω·cm 2，间隔层的导电率为133〜432S / cm。

公开(公告)号：US07672092B2

公开(公告)日：2010-03-02

申请号：US11708537

申请日：2007-02-21

申请人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Kei Hirata ,  Keita Kawamori ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Kei Hirata ,  Keita Kawamori ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3906 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3163 ,  H01L43/12 ,  Y10T428/1121

摘要： A method for manufacturing a magnetic field detecting element has the steps of: forming stacked layers by sequentially depositing a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a spacer adjoining layer which is adjacent to the spacer layer, a metal layer, and a Heusler alloy layer in this order, such that the layers adjoin each other; and heat treating the stacked layers in order to form the free layer out of the spacer adjoining layer, the metal layer, and the Heusler alloy layer. The spacer adjoining layer is mainly formed of cobalt and iron, and has a body centered cubic structure, and the metal layer is formed of an element selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, copper, palladium, or platinum, or is formed of an alloy thereof.

摘要翻译： 一种制造磁场检测元件的方法，其特征在于：通过依次沉积与间隔层相邻的钉扎层，间隔层，间隔物邻接层，金属层和Heusler合金层，形成堆叠层 这个顺序，使得这些层彼此相邻; 并且对层叠层进行热处理，以便在间隔物邻接层，金属层和Heusler合金层之间形成自由层。 间隔物邻接层主要由钴和铁形成，并且具有体心立方结构，金属层由选自银，金，铜，钯或铂的元素形成，或由 其合金。

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：US20080100968A1

公开(公告)日：2008-05-01

申请号：US11870097

申请日：2007-10-10

申请人： Koji SHIMAZAWA ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Kei Hirata

发明人： Koji SHIMAZAWA ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Kei Hirata

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3909 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F41/305 ,  Y10T29/49044 ,  Y10T29/49048

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 magnetization layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with the spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction. The free layer functions such that the direction of magnetization changes depending on an external magnetic field. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer formed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type oxide semiconductor. When the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers are formed in order, the first nonmagnetic metal layer is formed prior to the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and an anti-oxidizing layer is formed between the first and the semiconductor layer. The anti-oxidizing layer is formed of a material incapable of producing a Schottky barrier upon joining to the semiconductor layer. It is thus possible to achieve very favorable advantages of obtaining high MR performance without increasing the head noise, and holding back variations of device's area resistivity (AR), thereby making much more improvements in the reliability of film characteristics.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种具有CPP（垂直于平面的电流）结构的巨磁阻效应器件（CPP-GMR器件），该结构包括间隔层，以及固定磁化层和自由层，间隔层介于 它们具有沿堆叠方向施加的感测电流。 自由层起着使得磁化方向取决于外部磁场的作用。 间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料制成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层，以及形成在第一和第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体层。 半导体层是n型氧化物半导体。 当依次形成第一和第二非磁性金属层时，在第二非磁性金属层之前形成第一非磁性金属层，并且在第一和半导体层之间形成抗氧化层。 抗氧化层由与半导体层接合时不能产生肖特基势垒的材料形成。 因此，可以获得非常有利的优点，即不增加磁头噪声，并且抑制器件面积电阻率（AR）的变化，从而在膜特性的可靠性方面进一步提高，从而获得高MR性能。

公开(公告)号：US08472150B2

公开(公告)日：2013-06-25

申请号：US11968911

申请日：2008-01-03

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/3993 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/3259 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/10

摘要： A giant magneto-resistive effect device (CPP-GMR device) having the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure comprising a spacer layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked one upon another with the spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interposed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, the semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer contains zinc oxide as its main component wherein the main component zinc oxide contains an additive metal, and the additive metal is less likely to be oxidized than zinc.

摘要翻译： 具有包括间隔层的CPP（垂直于平面的电流）结构的巨磁阻效应器件（CPP-GMR器件），以及间隔层彼此叠置的第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层， 其中所述间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料制成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层，以及插入在所述第一非磁性金属层和所述第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体氧化物层 非磁性金属层，形成间隔层的一部分的半导体氧化物层含有氧化锌作为主要成分，其中主要成分氧化锌含有添加金属，添加金属不太可能被氧化成锌。

公开(公告)号：US07804667B2

公开(公告)日：2010-09-28

申请号：US11725476

申请日：2007-03-20

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

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

摘要： An MR element incorporates a nonmagnetic conductive layer, and a pinned layer and a free layer that are disposed to sandwich the nonmagnetic conductive layer. Each of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer contains a Heusler alloy in which atoms of a magnetic metallic element are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells, and an additive element that is a nonmagnetic metallic element that does not constitute the Heusler alloy. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a region in which the concentration of the additive element increases as the distance from the nonmagnetic conductive layer decreases, the region being adjacent to the nonmagnetic conductive layer.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括非磁性导电层，以及设置成夹持非磁性导电层的被钉扎层和自由层。 每个被钉扎层和自由层包括Heusler合金层。 Heusler合金层包含Heusler合金，其中磁性金属元素的原子被放置在单元电池的体中心位置，而添加元素是不构成Heusler合金的非磁性金属元素。 被钉扎层和自由层中的至少一个包括随着距离非磁性导电层的距离减小的添加元素的浓度增加的区域，该区域与非磁性导电层相邻。

公开(公告)号：US07764470B2

公开(公告)日：2010-07-27

申请号：US11682421

申请日：2007-03-06

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/59683

摘要： A magneto-resistance effect element used for a thin film magnetic head is configured by a buffer layer, an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a free layer, and a cap layer, which are laminated in this order, and a sense current flows through the element in a direction orthogonal to the layer surface, via a lower shield layer and a upper shield layer. The pinned layer comprises an outer layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and an inner layer which is a ferromagnetic layer. The spacer layer comprises a first and second non-magnetic metal layer, and a semiconductor layer. The first and second non-magnetic metal layer and comprise CuPt films having a thickness of more than 0 nm but no more than 2.0 nm, and the Pt content ranges from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 25 at %.

摘要翻译： 用于薄膜磁头的磁阻效应元件由依次层叠的缓冲层，反铁磁层，被钉扎层，间隔层，自由层和盖层构成， 并且感测电流经由下屏蔽层和上屏蔽层沿着与层表面正交的方向流过元件。 被钉扎层包括其中磁化方向固定的外层，非磁性中间层和作为铁磁层的内层。 间隔层包括第一和第二非磁性金属层和半导体层。 第一和第二非磁性金属层并且包括厚度大于0nm但不超过2.0nm的CuPt膜，并且Pt含量最小为5至最大为25at％。

公开(公告)号：US07881025B2

公开(公告)日：2011-02-01

申请号：US11931219

申请日：2007-10-31

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/39 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/3993 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F41/306 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： The invention provides a CPP-GMR device comprising a spacer layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer interposed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and further comprises a work function control layer formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer and/or between the second nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type semiconductor, and the work function control layer is made of a material having a work function smaller than that of said first nonmagnetic metal layer, and said second nonmagnetic metal layer. It is thus possible to obtain by far more improved advantages.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种包括间隔层的CPP-GMR装置。 间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料形成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层，以及介于第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体层，还包括功函数控制层 形成在第一非磁性金属层和半导体层之间和/或第二非磁性金属层与半导体层之间。 半导体层是n型半导体，功函数控制层由功函数小于所述第一非磁性金属层的功函数和所述第二非磁性金属层构成。 因此可以获得更多改进的优点。

公开(公告)号：US20080117554A1

公开(公告)日：2008-05-22

申请号：US11943171

申请日：2007-11-20

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： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/59683

摘要： The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device having a CPP structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetization layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with said spacer layer interposed between them, wherein the free layer functions such that its magnetization direction changes depending on an external magnetic field, and the spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interposed between them, wherein the semiconductor oxide layer forming a part of the spacer layer comprises zinc oxide as a main ingredient, wherein the main ingredient zinc oxide contains at least one selected from among oxides containing a trivalent cation of Al2O3, Ga2O3, In2O3, and B2O3, and a tetravalent cation of TiO2. It is thus possible to make thicker the semiconductor oxide layer forming a part of the spacer layer while keeping the device's area resistivity low as desired, thereby offering the advantages: much higher MR performance with much less variable device's area resistivity, and much more improved film performance reliability.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种具有包括间隔层的CPP结构的巨磁阻效应器件，以及一个彼此层叠的所述间隔层彼此层叠的固定磁化层和自由层，其中自由层的功能是使其磁化方向 变化取决于外部磁场，并且间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料形成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层以及介于它们之间的半导体氧化物层，其中形成部分的半导体氧化物层 的间隔层包含氧化锌作为主要成分，其中主要成分氧化锌含有选自含有三价阳离子的氧化物中的至少一种，其中含有三价阳离子的Al 2 O 3， Ga 2 O 3，以及B 2 O 3，以及B 2 O 3， SUB> 3 <！ - SIPO - >和TiO 2的四价阳离子。 因此，可以使形成间隔层的一部分的半导体氧化物层变得更厚，同时保持器件的面积电阻率为期望的低，从而具有以下优点：MR性能更高，可变器件的面积电阻率更小得多，并且更多改进的膜 性能可靠性。

公开(公告)号：US20080062557A1

公开(公告)日：2008-03-13

申请号：US11698180

申请日：2007-01-26

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

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

IPC分类号： G11B5/52 ,  G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/56

CPC分类号： G11B5/59683 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： An MR element includes: a free layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; a pinned layer having a fixed direction of magnetization; and a spacer layer disposed between these layers. The spacer layer includes a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer that is made of a material containing an oxide semiconductor and that is disposed between the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers. The MR element has a resistance-area product within a range of 0.1 to 0.3Ω·m2, and the spacer layer has a conductivity within a range of 133 to 432 S/cm.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括：具有响应于信号磁场而改变的磁化方向的自由层; 具有固定的磁化方向的钉扎层; 以及设置在这些层之间的间隔层。 间隔层包括由非磁性金属材料制成的第一非磁性金属层和第二非磁性金属层，以及由含有氧化物半导体的材料制成并且设置在第一和第二非磁性金属层之间的半导体层。 MR元件的电阻面积为0.1〜0.3Omeg·m 2的范围，间隔层的导电率为133〜432S / cm。