Process for producing magnetoresistive transducers

Abstract

A process for producing magnetoresistive transducers, using microlithographic techniques, where the transducers have magnetic metallic multilayers deposited by sputtering or by molecular beam epitaxy, and forming columns whose side walls will be covered with an insulation and whose tops will be free of this insulation, such that a current is able to flow in the magnetoresistive transducers perpendicular to the plane of the layers so as to exploit a phenomenon of perpendicular giant magnetoresistance. This process includes a step of producing, on one surface of a substrate, a stack including a first conductive layer in contact with a substrate and successive magnetic layers and non-magnetic metallic layers constituting a magnetic metallic multilayer in contact with the conductive layer. The process also includes steps of producing a second conductive layer on the magnetic metallic multilayer, producing a first resin mask having the dimensions of a magnetoresistive sensitive element to be produced and etching, around the mask, the second conductive layer and the magnetic metallic multilayer. Subsequently, the process includes steps of depositing an insulation layer removing the resin mask with the insulation layer lying on the resin mask, and forming an electrical contact on the second conductive layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.