Magnetic tunnel element and its manufacturing method, thin-film magnetic head, magnetic memory and magnetic sensor
First Claim
1. A magnetic tunnel element comprising:
- a plurality of ferromagnetic layers; and
an insulating film formed of metal oxide films, wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic layers are laminated across said insulating film and asymmetric tunnel barriers are formed by said insulating film along the direction in which said plurality of ferromagnetic layers are laminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic tunnel element (1) including a plurality of ferromagnetic films (5, 9) laminated across an insulating film (11) formed of metal oxide films (6, 7, 8) and in which asymmetric tunnel barriers are formed along the direction in which the ferromagnetic films (5, 9) are laminated by this insulating film (11) (6, 7, 8). There are also constructed a thin-film magnetic head, a magnetic memory and a magnetic sensor, each of which includes the magnetic tunnel element (1). Since a magnetoresistive ratio can be suppressed from being lowered by decreasing a bias voltage dependency, there are provided a highly-reliable magnetic tunnel element which can obtain a high output when the magnetic tunnel element is applied to a thin-film magnetic head and the like and a method of manufacturing such a magnetic tunnel element. When a magnetic head, a magnetic memory and a magnetic sensor include this magnetic tunnel element, they become highly reliable and also become able to obtain a high output.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A magnetic tunnel element comprising:
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a plurality of ferromagnetic layers; and
an insulating film formed of metal oxide films, wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic layers are laminated across said insulating film and asymmetric tunnel barriers are formed by said insulating film along the direction in which said plurality of ferromagnetic layers are laminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of manufacturing a magnetic tunnel element comprising a plurality of ferromagnetic films and an insulating film formed of metal oxide films wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic films are laminated across said insulating film, comprising at least the steps of:
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depositing a metal film and forming a first metal oxide film by oxidizing said metal film; and
depositing a metal film on said first metal oxide film and forming a second metal oxide film by oxidizing said metal film under oxidation conditions different from those of said process for forming said first metal oxide film, thereby to form said insulating film.
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5. A thin-film magnetic head comprising:
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a magnetic tunnel element including a plurality of ferromagnetic films and an insulating film formed of metal oxide films wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic films are laminated across said insulating film and asymmetric tunnel barriers are formed along the direction in which said plurality of ferromagnetic layers are laminated by said insulating film; and
upper and lower magnetic shields laminated across said magnetic tunnel element.
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6. A magnetic memory comprising:
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a bit line;
a word line; and
a magnetic tunnel element including a plurality of ferromagnetic films and an insulating film formed of metal oxide films wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic films are laminated across said insulating film and asymmetric tunnel barriers are formed along the direction in which said plurality of ferromagnetic films are laminated by said insulating film, wherein a memory cell including said magnetic tunnel element is disposed corresponding to an intersection between said bit line and said word line.
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7. A magnetic sensor comprising:
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a magnetic tunnel element including a plurality of ferromagnetic films and an insulating film formed of metal oxide films wherein an asymmetric barrier is formed along the direction in which said plurality of ferromagnetic films are laminated by said insulating film; and
upper and lower magnetic shields laminated across said magnetic tunnel element.
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Specification