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US 12,137,616 B2Granted
Magnetoresistive stack/structure and methods therefor
AssigneeEverspin Technologies, Inc.
InventorJijun Sun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive device includes forming a magnetically fixed region on one side of an intermediate region. Forming the magnetically fixed region may include forming a first ferromagnetic region and forming an antiferromagnetic coupling region on one side of the first ferromagnetic region. The method may also include treating a surface of the coupling region by exposing the surface to a gas, and forming a second ferromagnetic region on the treated surface of the coupling region.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive device, comprising:
- forming an intermediate region;
- forming a magnetically free region on one side of the intermediate region;
- and
- forming a magnetically fixed region on an opposite side of the intermediate region, wherein forming the magnetically fixed region includes:
- forming a first ferromagnetic region;
- forming an antiferromagnetic coupling region on one side of the first ferromagnetic region;
- upon forming the antiferromagnetic coupling region, treating a surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region by:
- exposing the surface to a mixture of about 2-80% oxygen in other gases;
- and
- providing a dusting of palladium on the surface exposed to the mixture;
- and
- forming a second ferromagnetic region on the treated surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region,
- wherein treating the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region includes exposing the surface to the mixture in a vacuum chamber at a pressure less than or equal to 0.05 millitorr, and wherein the method further comprises removing water vapor from the vacuum chamber prior to the step of treating the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region.
10 more elements
A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive device, comprising:
- forming an intermediate region;
- forming a magnetically free region on one side of the intermediate region;
- and
- forming a magnetically fixed region on an opposite side of the intermediate region, wherein forming the magnetically fixed region includes:
- forming a first ferromagnetic region;
- forming an antiferromagnetic coupling region on one side of the first ferromagnetic region;
- upon forming the antiferromagnetic coupling region, treating a surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region by:
- exposing the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region to a mixture of about 2-80% oxygen in other gases, including nitrogen, at a pressure less than or equal to 1 millitorr for a time period less than or equal to about 10 seconds at a temperature less than about 35° C.;
- and
- providing a dusting of palladium on the surface exposed to the mixture, wherein the dusting of palladium on the surface forms an interfacial layer that is less than 1 Å thick;
- and
- forming a second ferromagnetic region on the exposed surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region,
- wherein exposing the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region includes exposing the surface to the mixture in a vacuum chamber, and wherein the method further comprises removing water vapor from the vacuum chamber prior to the step of exposing the surface.
10 more elements
A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive device, comprising:
- forming an intermediate region;
- forming a magnetically free region on one side of the intermediate region;
- and
- forming a magnetically fixed region on an opposite side of the intermediate region, wherein forming the magnetically fixed region includes:
- forming a first ferromagnetic region;
- forming an antiferromagnetic coupling region on one side of the first ferromagnetic region;
- upon forming the antiferromagnetic coupling region, treating a surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region by:
- exposing the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region to a mixture of about 2-80% oxygen in other gases, including nitrogen, at a pressure less than or equal to 1 millitorr for a time period less than or equal to about 10 seconds at a temperature less than about 35° C.;
- and
- providing a dusting of palladium on the surface exposed to the mixture, wherein the dusting of palladium on the surface forms an interfacial layer that is less than 1 Å thick;
- and
- forming a second ferromagnetic region on the exposed surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region,
- wherein exposing the surface of the antiferromagnetic coupling region includes exposing the surface to the mixture in a vacuum chamber.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.