Magnetic layer system and a component comprising such a layer system

• US 20040008453A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jã¼Lich GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Original Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jã¼Lich GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Inventors: Nie, Xiliang
• Application Number:
  US10/381,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008453A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/324.11
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/00 Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/85 Magnetic active materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one galvanomagnetic or Hall-effect element covered by groups H10N50/00 - H10N52/00 MRAM devices H10B61/00

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a new generation of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors. According to the invention, a thin-film fixing layer is produced, for example, from a 5d transition metal (W, Rd, Os, Ir, Pt) or from a 4d transition metal (Pd, Rh, Ru) having a high magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Said thin-film fixing layer fixes the direction of magnetization of the fixed layer (3d ferromagnetic transition metals). A moment filter can be constructed with which the effectiveness of GMR and TMR sensors can be increased.

Claims

1. A layer system encompassing a ferromagnetic layer containing a 3d-transition metal and at least one fixing layer bounding on the 3d-transition metal layer, characterized in that the fixing layer has 4d- or 5d-transition elements.

2. A layer system according to the preceding claim with a fixing layer encompassing at least one element of the group (Pd, Ph, Ru).

3. A layer system according to the claim 1 with a fixing layer encompassing at least one element of the group (W, Re, Os, Ir and Pt).

4. A layer system according to one of the preceding claims with a fixing layer which is an alloy of 4d- or 5d-transition elements.

5. A layer system according to one of the preceding claims in which a fixing layer comprises a multilayer system.

6. A layer system according to one of the preceding claims whereby the fixing layer is configured as a thin layer.

7. A layer system according to one of the preceding claims whereby the fixing layer is configured as a thin layer.

8. A layer system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the fixing layer in the region of 1 to 100 meV, especially from 10 to 20 meV.

9. A magnetic component with a layer system according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8.

10. A magnetic component according to claim 9 with a second ferromagnetic layer.

11. A magnetic component according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 10, characterized in that the fixing layer is comprised of a 4d- or 5d-transition element encompassing a sandwich layer.

12. A magnetic component according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the second ferromagnetic layer is configured as a monolayer.

13. A magnetic component according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 12, characterized in that in the layer system two fixing layers are arranged neighboringly to the first ferromagnetic layer.

14. A moment filter with a layer system according to one of claims 1 to 8.

15. A magnetic sensor with a layer system according to one of the claims 1 to 8.

16. A GMR sensor as the magnetic sensor according to the preceding claim 15.

17. A TMR sensor as the magnetic sensor according to the preceding claim 15.

18. A magnetic operating memory with a layer system according to one of the claims 1 to 8.