Method for manufacturing magnetoresistive element

A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element comprising the steps of:

• forming one of a magnetization free layer and a magnetization pinned layer;
• forming a tunnel barrier layer on top of the formed one of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer;
• and
• forming the other of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer on top of the tunnel barrier layer,
• wherein forming the tunnel barrier layer comprises the sub-steps of:
• depositing a metal film on top of a substrate, and
• subjecting the metal film to an oxidation process,
• wherein the oxidation step comprises the sub-steps of:
• holding the substrate having the metal film formed thereon, on a supporting portion protruding from a substrate holding surface of a substrate holder in a processing container in which the oxidation process is performed,
• supplying an oxygen gas to the substrate by introducing the oxygen gas into the processing container, in a state where the substrate is mounted on the supporting portion, at a temperature at which the metal film does not sublime,
• mounting the substrate on the substrate holding surface, after start of the introduction of the oxygen gas, and
• heating the substrate simultaneously with or after the introduction of the oxygen gas,
• wherein the oxidation step further comprises a step of, after the holding step, forming in the processing container a space formed by a substrate holding surface of the substrate holder and a surrounding portion provided in the processing container, by changing a relative position of the substrate holder with respect to the processing container,
• wherein the space is formed such that the substrate holding surface is surrounded by the surrounding portion and a gap is formed between the surrounding portion and the substrate holder, and
• wherein the oxygen gas introduced into the space is evacuated from the space through the gap.

A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element comprising the steps of:

• forming one of a magnetization free layer and a magnetization pinned layer;
• forming a tunnel barrier layer on top of the formed one of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer;
• and
• forming the other of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer on top of the tunnel barrier layer,
• wherein forming the tunnel barrier layer comprises the sub-steps of:
• depositing a metal film on top of a substrate, and
• subjecting the metal film to an oxidation process,
• wherein the oxidation step comprises the sub-steps of:
• holding the substrate having the metal film formed thereon, on a supporting portion protruding from a substrate holding surface of a substrate holder in a processing container in which the oxidation process is performed,
• supplying an oxygen gas to the substrate by introducing the oxygen gas into the processing container, in a state where the substrate is mounted on the supporting portion,
• mounting the substrate on the substrate holding surface, after start of introduction of the oxygen gas, and
• heating the substrate mounted on the substrate holding surface,
• wherein the supporting portion is configured to be switchable between a protruding condition in which the supporting portion protrudes from the substrate holding surface so that the substrate is apart from the substrate holding surface and a housed condition in which the supporting portion is housed in the substrate holding surface,
• wherein the holding the substrate step is performed while the supporting portion is in the protruding condition, and
• wherein the mounting the substrate step is performed by switching the supporting portion to be in the housed position.