Magnetoresistive element having exchange-coupled film including PtCr/XMn antiferromagnetic bilayer
AssigneeAlps Alpine Co., Ltd.
InventorsMasamichi Saito, Fumihito Koike, Hiroaki Endo
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Abstract
An exchange-coupled film according to the present invention includes an antiferromagnetic layer, pinned magnetic layer, and free magnetic layer which are stacked. The antiferromagnetic layer is composed of a Pt—Cr sublayer and an X—Mn sublayer (where X is Pt or Ir). The X—Mn sublayer is in contact with the pinned magnetic layer. The Pt—Cr sublayer has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 58 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the Pt—Cr sublayer or has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 57 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the pinned magnetic layer.
Claims11
An exchange-coupled film comprising
- an antiferromagnetic layer composed of a Pt—Cr sublayer and an X—Mn sublayer (where X is Pt or Ir);
- and
- a pinned magnetic layer, the antiferromagnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer being stacked,
- wherein the X—Mn sublayer is in contact with the pinned magnetic layer, and the Pt—Cr sublayer has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 58 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the Pt—Cr sublayer or has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 57 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the pinned magnetic layer.
A method for manufacturing an exchange-coupled film including an antiferromagnetic layer and pinned magnetic layer which are stacked, the antiferromagnetic layer being composed of a Pt—Cr sublayer and an X—Mn sublayer (where X is Pt or Ir), the X—Mn sublayer being in contact with the pinned magnetic layer, the method comprising:
- forming the Pt—Cr sublayer such that the Pt—Cr sublayer has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 58 at %) in the case where the X—Mn sublayer is stacked on the Pt—Cr sublayer or
- forming the Pt—Cr sublayer such that the Pt—Cr sublayer has a composition represented by the formula PtαCr100 at %-α (α is 44 at % to 57 at %) in the case where the X—Mn sublayer is stacked on the pinned magnetic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.