Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive sensor with in-stack biasing
    1.
    发明授权
    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive sensor with in-stack biasing 失效
    具有堆叠偏置的磁隧道结磁阻传感器

    公开(公告)号:US6023395A

    公开(公告)日:2000-02-08

    申请号:US87334

    申请日:1998-05-29

    IPC分类号: G01R33/09 G11B5/39

    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。

    Shielded magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head
    2.
    发明授权
    Shielded magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head 失效
    屏蔽磁隧道结磁阻读头

    公开(公告)号:US5898548A

    公开(公告)日:1999-04-27

    申请号:US957787

    申请日:1997-10-24

    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。

    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with longitudinal
and transverse bias
    3.
    发明授权
    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with longitudinal and transverse bias 失效
    磁隧道结磁阻读头,具有纵向和横向偏置

    公开(公告)号:US06005753A

    公开(公告)日:1999-12-21

    申请号:US87322

    申请日:1998-05-29

    IPC分类号: G01R33/06 G11B5/39

    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。

    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer
as flux guide
    4.
    发明授权
    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer as flux guide 失效
    磁性隧道结磁阻读头,传感层作为助焊剂

    公开(公告)号:US5898547A

    公开(公告)日:1999-04-27

    申请号:US957699

    申请日:1997-10-24

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

    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。

    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer
as rear flux guide
    5.
    发明授权
    Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer as rear flux guide 失效
    磁性隧道结磁阻读头,传感层作为后通量引导

    公开(公告)号:US5901018A

    公开(公告)日:1999-05-04

    申请号:US957788

    申请日:1997-10-24

    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。

    Magnetic tunnel junction memory cell with in-stack biasing of the free
ferromagnetic layer and memory array using the cell
    6.
    发明授权
    Magnetic tunnel junction memory cell with in-stack biasing of the free ferromagnetic layer and memory array using the cell 失效
    磁性隧道结存储单元,其具有自由铁磁层的堆叠偏置和使用该单元的存储器阵列

    公开(公告)号:US6114719A

    公开(公告)日:2000-09-05

    申请号:US87553

    申请日:1998-05-29

    IPC分类号: G11C11/15 H01L29/76

    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。

    Spin valve magnetoresistive sensor with antiparallel pinned layer and
improved exchange bias layer, and magnetic recording system using the
sensor
    9.
    发明授权
    Spin valve magnetoresistive sensor with antiparallel pinned layer and improved exchange bias layer, and magnetic recording system using the sensor 失效
    旋转阀磁阻传感器具有反平行钉扎层和改进的交换偏置层,以及使用传感器的磁记录系统

    公开(公告)号:US5701223A

    公开(公告)日:1997-12-23

    申请号:US697396

    申请日:1996-08-23

    摘要: A spin valve magnetoresistive (SVMR) sensor uses a laminated antiparallel (AP) pinned layer in combination with an improved antiferromagnetic (AF) exchange biasing layer. The pinned layer comprises two ferromagnetic films separated by a nonmagnetic coupling film such that the magnetizations of the two ferromagnetic films are strongly coupled together antiferromagnetically in an antiparallel orientation. This laminated AP pinned layer is magnetically rigid in the small field excitations required to rotate the SVMR sensor's free layer. When the magnetic moments of the two ferromagnetic layers in this AP pinned layer are nearly the same, the net magnetic moment of the pinned layer is small. However, the exchange field is correspondingly large because it is inversely proportional to the net magnetic moment. The laminated AP pinned layer has its magnetization fixed or pinned by an AF material that is highly corrosion resistant but that has an exchange anisotropy too low to be usable in conventional SVMR sensors. In the preferred embodiment the AF layer is nickel-oxide and is formed on one of the magnetoresistive (MR) shields that serves as the substrate. Thus the AF material also serves as the insulating MR gap material. The location of the AF layer and the laminated AP-pinned layer to which it is exchange coupled on the bottom of the SVMR sensor allows for improved longitudinal biasing of the free layer when the SVMR sensor is fabricated.

    摘要翻译: 自旋阀磁阻(SVMR)传感器使用层叠反平行(AP)钉扎层与改进的反铁磁(AF)交换偏置层组合。 被钉扎层包括由非磁性耦合膜分离的两个铁磁膜,使得两个铁磁膜的磁化强烈耦合在反铁磁反向反平行取向。 该层压AP钉扎层在旋转SVMR传感器自由层所需的小场激励中是磁性刚性的。 当该AP钉扎层中的两个铁磁层的磁矩几乎相同时,被钉扎层的净磁矩小。 然而,交换场相当大,因为它与净磁矩成反比。 层压的AP钉扎层的磁化固定或由AF材料固定,该材料具有高度耐腐蚀性,但具有太低的交换各向异性,无法在传统的SVMR传感器中使用。 在优选实施例中,AF层是氧化镍,并且形成在用作衬底的磁阻(MR)屏蔽之一上。 因此,AF材料也用作绝缘MR间隙材料。 在SVMR传感器的底部上交换耦合的AF层和层压的AP钉扎层的位置允许在制造SVMR传感器时改善自由层的纵向偏置。