Magnetoresistive Effect Element and Manufacturing Method Thereof

• US 20090162698A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuzawa, Hideaki, Yuasa, Hiromi, Fuji, Yoshihiko, Iwasaki, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,048,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/811.200
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/3996 large or giant magnetoresistive effects [GMR], e.g. as generated in spin-valve [SV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3163 Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3166 Testing or indicating in relation thereto, e.g. before the fabrication is completed
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/398 Specially shaped layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3983 with current confined paths in the spacer layer
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3254 the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3259 Spin-exchange-coupled multilayers comprising at least a nanooxide layer [NOL], e.g. with a NOL spacer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3272 by use of anti-parallel coupled [APC] ferromagnetic layers, e.g. artificial ferrimagnets [AFI], artificial [AAF] or synthetic [SAF] anti-ferromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/305 applying the spacer or adjusting its interface, e.g. in order to enable particular effect different from exchange coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1121 Multilayer

Abstract

A magnetoresistive effect element is produced by forming a first magnetic layer, a spacer layer including an insulating layer and a conductive layer which penetrates through the insulating layer and passes a current, on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer all of which or part of which is treated with ion, plasma or heat, on the formed spacer layer.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a magnetoresistive effect element, comprising:

forming a first magnetic layer;

forming a spacer layer including an insulating layer and a conductive layer which penetrates through the insulating layer and passes a current, on the first magnetic layer; and

forming a second magnetic layer all of which or part of which is treated with ion, plasma or heat, on the formed spacer layer.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of forming the second magnetic layer comprises:

depositing a material of the second magnetic layer; and

treating at least part of the material with the ion, plasma or heat.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the treatment is performed by ion or plasma, which is accelerated with a voltage from 30V to 150V inclusive.

4. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the treatment is performed by heating with temperature of the treated layer set at a temperature from 200°

C. to 400°

C. inclusive.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of forming the second magnetic layer comprises:

forming a first layer which is part of the second magnetic layer;

treating the first layer with ion, plasma or heat;

forming a second layer which is part of the second magnetic layer on the first layer; and

treating the second layer with the ion, plasma or heat.

6. The method according to claim 5,

wherein the step of forming the second magnetic layer further comprises:

forming a third layer forming part of the second magnetic layer on the second layer; and

treating the formed third layer with ion, plasma or heat.

7. The method according to claim 5,

wherein each of thickness of the first layer and the second layer is from 0.5 nm to 3 nm inclusive.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of forming the second magnetic layer includes depositing a material of the second magnetic layer simultaneously with performing a treatment with ion, plasma or heat.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the treatment is performed by plasma which is generated by applying a bias voltage from 30 V to 200 V inclusive.

10. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the treatment is performed by plasma which is generated by applying a power from 30 W to 200 W inclusive.

11. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the treatment is performed by heating the material set at a temperature from 100°

C. to 300°

C. inclusive.

12. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second magnetic layer is treated by ion or plasma of a rare gas including any of Ar (argon), Kr (krypton), Xe (xenon) and Ne (neon).

13. The method according to claim 1,

wherein one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer is a fixed magnetization layer with a magnetization direction fixed substantially one direction, while the other one is a free magnetization layer with a magnetization direction changing in accordance with an external magnetic field, and a current is passed in a direction the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are deposited.

14. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second magnetic layer includes a CoFe layer and an NiFe layer, and the treatment is applied to at least part of the NiFe layer.

15. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second magnetic layer includes an FeCo layer of a bcc structure, or a CoFe layer of a fcc structure, and the treatment is applied to at least part of the FeCo layer or the CoFe layer.

16. The method according to claim 1,

wherein said forming the spacer layer has:

forming a first layer composed of a first metal material;

forming a second layer composed of a second metal material different from the first metal material on the formed first layer;

treating a surface of the formed second layer with ion or plasma; and

forming the spacer layer by treatment performed by oxidizing, nitriding, or oxynitriding the surface of the second layer.

17. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the treatment includes treatment with ion or plasma.

18. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the insulating layer is an oxide, a nitride or an oxynitride including at least one selected from Al (aluminum), Si(silicon), Hf (hafnium), Ti (titanium), Ta (tantalum), Mo (molybdenum), W (wolfram), Nb (niobium), Mg (magnesium), Cr (chromium) and Zr (zirconium).

19. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the first layer is a metal layer including any one element selected from Cu (copper), Au (gold) and Ag (silver).

20. A magnetoresistive effect element, comprising:

a first magnetic layer;

a spacer layer which is disposed on the first magnetic layer and has an insulating layer and a conductive layer; and

a second magnetic layer which grows on said spacer layer, and all or part of which is treated with ion, plasma or heat.

21. A magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 20,

wherein a sense current flows from a first magnetic layer to a second magnetic layer through a spacer layer.

22. A magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 20,

wherein an electron flows from a second magnetic layer to a first magnetic layer through a spacer layer.