Back to results
US 6,721,141 B1Granted
Spin-valve structure and method for making spin-valve structures
AssigneesInteruniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMECVZW), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Research & Development
InventorsKaren Attenborough, Hans Boeve, Jo De Boeck, Jean-Pierre Celis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention concerns in a first aspect a spin-valve structure having a first and a second free ferromagnetic layer and a spacer layer positioned between the first and second free ferromagnetic layer, and wherein the first free ferromagnetic layer is positioned on a substrate. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first free ferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with the surface of the substrate.
Claims34
A spin-valve structure comprising:
- a first free ferromagnetic layer;
- and
- a second free ferromagnetic layer;
- and
- a spacer layer positioned between said first and second free ferromagnetic layers, wherein said first free ferromagnetic layer is positioned on a conducting substrate with barrier layer in between;
- and
- wherein said barrier layer provides an electrical barrier weak enough to allow electrical transport during electroplating of one or more of the first free ferromagnetic layer, the spacer layer and the second free ferromagnetic layer, and high enough to confine electrical currents in the first and second free ferromagnetic layers during operation of the spin-valve structure.
4 more elements
A spin-valve structure comprising:
- a first free ferromagnetic layer;
- a second free ferromagnetic layer;
- and
- a third layer positioned between said first and second free ferromagnetic layers, wherein said third layer comprises a layer selected from the group consisting of an antiferromagnetic layer, a metal layer, a semimetal layer and a conductive semiconductor layer;
- wherein said first free ferromagnetic layer is positioned on a substrate that forms an electrical barrier with the first free ferromagnetic layer, wherein electrical transport occurs between the substrate and the spin-valve structure during electro-deposition of the spin-valve structure on the substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.