Magnetoresistance effect element with nano-junction between free and pinned layers
AssigneeTDK Corporation
InventorsRachid Sbiaa, Isamu Sato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetoresistance effect element includes a free layer as a first ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer as a second ferromagnetic layer, and at least one nano-junction provided between the free layer and the pinned layer. The nano-junction contains at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine. Preferably, the material for forming the nano-junction is a ferromagnetic metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, NiFe, CoFe and CoFeNi or a halfmetal selected from the group consisting of NiFeSb, NiMnSb, PtMnSb and MnSb.
Claims24
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising:
- a free layer;
- a pinned layer;
- and
- at least one nano-junction between said free layer and said pinned layer,
- a non-magnetic layer formed between said free layer and said pinned layer in a portion other than said at least one nano-junction;
- wherein said at least one nano-junction includes a constituent material and at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine, wherein said constituent material of said nano-junction comprises one of a ferromagnetic metal and a halfmetal, and
- wherein said non-metal is contained in said constituent material of said nano-junction so that said non-metal is not localized, or said non-metal in an atomic state or in a state of a non-metallic compound containing said non-metal is present in grain boundaries of crystal grains, which forms said nano-junction.
A magnetic head comprising:
- a magnetoresistance effect element comprising,
- a free layer,
- a pinned layer, and
- at least one nano-junction positioned between said free layer and said pinned layer,
- a non-magnetic layer formed between said free layer and said pinned layer in a portion other than said at least one nano-junction;
- wherein said at least one nano-junction includes a constituent material and at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine,
- wherein said constituent material of said nano-junction comprises one of a ferromagnetic metal and a halfmetal, and
- wherein said non-metal is contained in said constituent material of said nano-junction so that said non-metal is not localized, or said non-metal in an atomic state or in a state of a non-metallic compound containing said non-metal is present in grain boundaries of crystal grains, which forms said nano-junction.
A magnetic memory comprising:
- a magnetoresistance effect element comprising,
- a free layer,
- a pinned layer, and
- at least one nano-junction positioned between said free layer and said pinned layer,
- a non-magnetic layer formed between said free layer and said pinned layer in a portion other than said at least one nano-junction;
- wherein said at least one nano-junction includes a constituent material and at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine,
- wherein said constituent material of said nano-junction comprises one of a ferromagnetic metal and a halfmetal, and
- wherein said non-metal is contained in said constituent material of said nano-junction so that said non-metal is not localized, or said non-metal in an atomic state or in a state of a non-metallic compound containing said non-metal is present in grain boundaries of crystal grains, which forms said nano-junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.