公开(公告)号：US06657828B2

公开(公告)日：2003-12-02

申请号：US09774644

申请日：2001-02-01

申请人： Satoru Araki ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Masashi Sano ,  Takumi Uesugi

发明人： Satoru Araki ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Masashi Sano ,  Takumi Uesugi

IPC分类号： G11B539

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

摘要： Provided are a magnetic transducer having a higher rate of resistance change and a larger magnitude of resistance change and having better stability of properties, and a thin film magnetic head. A stack of an MR element has a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a second nonmagnetic layer and a high-resistance layer, which are stacked in sequence on the underlayer. The orientation of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed by exchange coupling between the ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer. The orientations of magnetizations of the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer change according to an external magnetic field. Electrical resistance of the stack changes according to a relative angle between the orientations of the magnetizations of the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer and the orientation of the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer. The high-resistance layer has higher electrical resistance than electrical resistance of the second nonmagnetic layer. The second nonmagnetic layer and the high-resistance layer are provided on the side of the second soft magnetic layer opposite to the first nonmagnetic layer. Thus, the rate of resistance change and the magnitude of resistance change can be increased, and furthermore stability of properties can be improved.

摘要翻译： 提供具有较高电阻变化率和较大幅度的电阻变化并且具有更好的性能稳定性的磁换能器以及薄膜磁头。 MR元件的叠层具有包括底层，反铁磁层，铁磁层，第一非磁性层，第一软磁层，第二软磁层，第二非磁性层和高电阻层的层叠结构， 它们依次堆叠在底层上。 铁磁层的磁化方向通过铁磁层和反铁磁层之间的交换耦合来固定。 第一软磁层和第二软磁层的磁化取向根据外部磁场而变化。 堆的电阻根据第一软磁层和第二软磁层的磁化取向与铁磁层的磁化方向之间的相对角度而变化。 高电阻层的电阻比第二非磁性层的电阻高。 第二非磁性层和高电阻层设置在与第一非磁性层相对的第二软磁层的一侧。 因此，可以提高电阻变化率和电阻变化的大小，进而提高性能的稳定性。

公开(公告)号：US06920022B1

公开(公告)日：2005-07-19

申请号：US09769760

申请日：2001-01-26

申请人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Satoru Araki ,  Masashi Sano ,  Takumi Uesugi

发明人： Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Satoru Araki ,  Masashi Sano ,  Takumi Uesugi

IPC分类号： G11B5/31 ,  G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/21 ,  G11B5/39 ,  H01F10/00 ,  H01F10/08 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F10/32 ,  H01F41/18 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/1276 ,  G11B5/21 ,  H01F10/3268

摘要： Provided are a magnetic transducer having good thermal stability, a thin film magnetic head, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. A stack of an MR element has a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a capping layer, which are stacked in this order on the underlayer. The ferromagnetic layer is divided into a bottom layer and a top layer in the direction of stack. A ferromagnetic interlayer having magnetism and having higher electrical resistance than the electrical resistance of the ferromagnetic layer is formed between the bottom layer and the top layer. The ferromagnetic interlayer magnetically integrates the bottom layer with the top layer and limits a path for electrons moving through the stack, thereby improving the rate of resistance change. Furthermore, the ferromagnetic interlayer contains, as an additive, at least one element in a group consisting of Mn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Rh, Ir and Pt and thus prevents heat deterioration in the stack.

摘要翻译： 提供具有良好热稳定性的磁换能器，薄膜磁头，制造磁换能器的方法和制造薄膜磁头的方法。 MR元件的堆叠具有堆叠结构，其包括下层，第一软磁层，第二软磁层，非磁性层，铁磁层，反铁磁层和覆盖层， 底层 铁磁层沿堆叠方向分为底层和顶层。 在底层和顶层之间形成具有磁性并且具有比铁磁层的电阻更高的电阻的铁磁中间层。 铁磁层将磁极层与顶层磁集成，限制电子移动通过堆叠的路径，从而提高电阻变化率。 此外，铁磁性中间层含有由Mn，Cr，Ni，Cu，Rh，Ir和Pt组成的组中的至少一种元素作为添加剂，从而防止堆叠中的热劣化。

公开(公告)号：US06646834B2

公开(公告)日：2003-11-11

申请号：US09904842

申请日：2001-07-16

申请人： Masashi Sano ,  Satoru Araki ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Takumi Uesugi

发明人： Masashi Sano ,  Satoru Araki ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Takumi Uesugi

IPC分类号： G11B539

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3163 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3967 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/324 ,  H01F10/3268 ,  Y10T29/49044

摘要： Provided are a magnetic transducer and a thin film magnetic head having good thermal stability and capable of obtaining a high exchange coupling magnetic field, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of a manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. An MR element has a stack having a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, a crystal-growth inhibitor layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a cap layer, which are stacked in sequence. The ferromagnetic layer has an inner ferromagnetic layer, a coupling layer and an outer ferromagnetic layer, which are stacked in this order on the nonmagnetic layer. The crystal-growth inhibitor layer inhibits crystal growth of the layers formed on the crystal-growth inhibitor layer, thereby limiting an average in-surface particle diameter of the inner ferromagnetic layer to within the range of from 3 nm to 8 nm inclusive, so that an interface between the coupling layer and the inner ferromagnetic layer becomes flattened.

公开(公告)号：US08085038B2

公开(公告)日：2011-12-27

申请号：US11753836

申请日：2007-05-25

申请人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Takeo Kagami ,  Tetsuro Sasaki ,  Kei Hirata ,  Masaru Hirose ,  Chi Man Lee ,  Kwok Piu Tso

发明人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Takeo Kagami ,  Tetsuro Sasaki ,  Kei Hirata ,  Masaru Hirose ,  Chi Man Lee ,  Kwok Piu Tso

IPC分类号： G01R33/12 ,  G11B5/00

CPC分类号： G11B5/455 ,  G11B5/3189 ,  G11B5/3903

摘要： A noise-testing method for a thin-film magnetic head with an MR read head element and a heating unit capable of applying a heat and a stress to the MR read head element, includes a step of applying alternately and discontinuously with each other an electrical power having a first level and an electrical power having a second level higher than the first level to the heating unit, and a step of evaluating the thin-film magnetic head by measuring a noise output or noise outputs obtained from the MR read head element when the electrical power or the electrical powers are applied to the heating unit.

摘要翻译： 具有MR读取头元件的薄膜磁头和能够向MR读取头元件施加热和应力的加热单元的噪声测试方法包括以下步骤：交替地和不连续地施加电气 具有第一电平的功率和具有比加热单元的第一电平高的第二电平的电力;以及通过测量从MR读取头元件获得的噪声输出或噪声输出来评估薄膜磁头的步骤， 电力或电力被施加到加热单元。

公开(公告)号：US07372675B2

公开(公告)日：2008-05-13

申请号：US11253757

申请日：2005-10-20

申请人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Norio Takahashi

发明人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Norio Takahashi

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： H01F10/3254 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/06 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： An MR element comprises: a tunnel barrier layer having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer that is a ferromagnetic layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The free layer incorporates: a first soft magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer; a high polarization layer disposed such that the first soft magnetic layer is sandwiched between the tunnel barrier layer and the high polarization layer; and a second soft magnetic layer disposed such that the high polarization layer is sandwiched between the first and second soft magnetic layers.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括：具有面向相反方向的两个表面的隧道势垒层; 邻近隧道势垒层的一个表面设置并具有响应于外部磁场而变化的磁化方向的自由层; 以及钉扎层，其是与隧道势垒层的另一个表面相邻设置并具有固定的磁化方向的铁磁层。 自由层包括：邻近隧道势垒层的一个表面设置的第一软磁层; 设置为使得第一软磁层夹在隧道势垒层和高偏振层之间的高偏振层; 以及设置成使得高偏振层夹在第一和第二软磁性层之间的第二软磁层。

公开(公告)号：US20080037184A1

公开(公告)日：2008-02-14

申请号：US11806823

申请日：2007-06-04

申请人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Satoshi Miura

发明人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Satoshi Miura

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01F10/16 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： An exchange-coupling film incorporates an antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer. The pinned layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a third ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic middle layer, and a fourth ferromagnetic layer that are disposed in this order, the first ferromagnetic layer being closest to the antiferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer is made of a ferromagnetic material and has a face-centered cubic structure. The second ferromagnetic layer is made of only iron or an alloy containing x atomic % cobalt and (100−x) atomic % iron, wherein x is greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 60. The third ferromagnetic layer is made of an alloy containing y atomic % cobalt and (100−y) atomic % iron, wherein y is within a range of 65 to 80 inclusive. The antiferromagnetic layer and the first ferromagnetic layer are exchange-coupled to each other. The third and fourth ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other.

摘要翻译： 交换耦合膜包含反铁磁层和钉扎层。 被钉扎层包括第一铁磁层，第二铁磁层，第三铁磁层，非磁性中间层和第四铁磁层，第一铁磁层最靠近反铁磁层。 第一铁磁层由铁磁材料制成并具有面心立方结构。 第二铁磁层仅由铁或含有x原子％钴和（100-x）原子％铁的合金制成，其中x大于零且小于或等于60.第三铁磁层由合金 含有原子％钴和（100-y）原子％铁，其中y在65〜80的范围内。 反铁磁层和第一铁磁层彼此交换耦合。 第三和第四铁磁层彼此反铁磁耦合。

公开(公告)号：US07241514B2

公开(公告)日：2007-07-10

申请号：US10880574

申请日：2004-07-01

申请人： Takeo Kagami ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Satoshi Miura ,  Norio Takahashi

发明人： Takeo Kagami ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Satoshi Miura ,  Norio Takahashi

IPC分类号： G11B5/39 ,  G11B5/27

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  Y10T428/1114 ,  Y10T428/1121 ,  Y10T428/1143 ,  Y10T428/1164 ,  Y10T428/256

摘要： A magneto-resistive device is provided for contributing to a higher MR ratio and a reduced cleaning time for cleaning the surface of a cap layer. In the magneto-resistive device, a cap layer which serves as a protection layer is formed on a free layer which is the topmost layer of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR devise. An upper electrode which is additionally used as an upper magnetic shield is electrically connected to the free layer through an upper metal layer. The cap layer comprised of a two-layer film made up of a conductive layer closer to the free layer and a topmost conductive layer. The conductive layer closer to the free layer is made of a material having higher oxygen bond energy than Ru, such as Zr, Hf, or the like. The topmost conductive layer is made of a material having lower oxygen bond energy, such as a noble metal or the like.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种磁阻装置，用于有助于更高的MR比和减少的清洁时间以清洁盖层的表面。 在磁阻装置中，作为保护层的盖层形成在作为构成TMR装置的磁阻层的最上层的自由层上。 另外用作上磁屏蔽的上电极通过上金属层电连接到自由层。 盖层由由更靠近自由层的导电层构成的双层膜和最上面的导电层组成。 更靠近自由层的导电层由诸如Zr，Hf等的比Ru更高的氧键能的材料制成。 最上面的导电层由具有较低氧键能的材料制成，例如贵金属等。

公开(公告)号：US07876537B2

公开(公告)日：2011-01-25

申请号：US11790396

申请日：2007-04-25

申请人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Tetsuro Sasaki ,  Takeo Kagami ,  Kei Hirata

发明人： Takumi Uesugi ,  Tetsuro Sasaki ,  Takeo Kagami ,  Kei Hirata

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11B5/3983 ,  H01L27/222 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： An MR element incorporates a layered structure. The layered structure includes: a spacer layer having a first surface and a second surface that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to the first surface of the spacer layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; and a pinned layer disposed adjacent to the second surface of the spacer layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The spacer layer is a layer at least part of which is made of a material other than a conductor, and the spacer layer intercepts the passage of currents or limits the passage of currents as compared with a layer entirely made of a conductor. The MR element further incorporates a conductive film that is disposed on the peripheral surface of the layered structure and allows conduction between the free layer and the pinned layer.

摘要翻译： MR元件结合了分层结构。 层状结构包括：具有朝向相反方向的第一表面和第二表面的间隔层; 邻近所述间隔层的第一表面设置并具有响应于信号磁场而变化的磁化方向的自由层; 以及与所述间隔层的第二表面相邻并且具有固定的磁化方向的被钉扎层。 间隔层是其至少一部分由导体以外的材料制成的层，并且与完全由导体制成的层相比，间隔层拦截电流的流动或限制电流的流动。 MR元件还包括设置在层状结构的外围表面上的导电膜，并允许自由层和钉扎层之间的导电。

公开(公告)号：US20070264728A1

公开(公告)日：2007-11-15

申请号：US11797635

申请日：2007-05-04

申请人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi

发明人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi

IPC分类号： H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01L43/12 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3163 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F41/307

摘要： A manufacturing method of a TMR element having a magnetization fixed layer, a magnetization free layer and a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer. A fabricating process of the tunnel barrier layer includes a step of depositing a first metallic material film on the magnetization fixed layer or the magnetization free layer, and a step of oxidizing the deposited first metallic material film under an environment with an impurity concentration of 1E-02 or less.

摘要翻译： 具有磁化固定层，磁化自由层和夹在磁化固定层和磁化自由层之间的隧道势垒层的TMR元件的制造方法。 隧道势垒层的制造工艺包括在磁化固定层或磁化自由层上沉积第一金属材料膜的步骤，以及在杂质浓度为1E-的环境下氧化沉积的第一金属材料膜的步骤， 02以下。

公开(公告)号：US20060092579A1

公开(公告)日：2006-05-04

申请号：US11253757

申请日：2005-10-20

申请人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Norio Takahashi

发明人： Satoshi Miura ,  Takumi Uesugi ,  Norio Takahashi

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： H01F10/3254 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/06 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： An MR element comprises: a tunnel barrier layer having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer that is a ferromagnetic layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The free layer incorporates: a first soft magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer; a high polarization layer disposed such that the first soft magnetic layer is sandwiched between the tunnel barrier layer and the high polarization layer; and a second soft magnetic layer disposed such that the high polarization layer is sandwiched between the first and second soft magnetic layers.

摘要翻译： MR元件包括：具有面向相反方向的两个表面的隧道势垒层; 邻近隧道势垒层的一个表面设置并具有响应于外部磁场而变化的磁化方向的自由层; 以及钉扎层，其是与隧道势垒层的另一个表面相邻设置并具有固定的磁化方向的铁磁层。 自由层包括：邻近隧道势垒层的一个表面设置的第一软磁层; 设置为使得第一软磁层夹在隧道势垒层和高偏振层之间的高偏振层; 以及设置成使得高偏振层夹在第一和第二软磁性层之间的第二软磁层。