Magnetoresistance device

• US 5,923,504 A
• Filed: 04/18/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Shinoura, Osamu, Sato, Yuichi, Araki, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T.
• Application Number:
  US08/817,098
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 360/113, 360/121, 324/252, 428/209
• 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: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• 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 5/39 using magneto-resistive devices or effects
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3903 using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3919 the guide being interposed in the flux path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3922 the read-out elements being disposed in magnetic shunt relative to at least two parts of the flux guide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3925 the two parts being thin films
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3932 Magnetic biasing films
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/399 with intrinsic biasing, e.g. provided by equipotential strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3268 the exchange coupling being asymmetric, e.g. by use of additional pinning, by using antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic coupling interface, i.e. so-called spin-valve [SV] structure, e.g. NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/85 Magnetic active materials

Abstract

According to the present invention on a magnetoresistance device having a magnetoresistance effect element, since iron oxide FeO_x exhibiting antiferromagnetism is used as a pinning layer, a spin-valve type magnetoresistance effect element can be obtained which is particularly excellent in corrosion resistance and has a magnetoresistance ratio with an MR slope no less than 0.7% Oe in the region of the high-frequency magnetic field of 1 MHz. Further, the rise-up characteristic of an MR curve at the zero magnetic field is extremely excellent with small hysteresis, and it has high heat resistance. The heat resistance is further improved by interposing an oxygen blocking layer between the pinning layer and a ferromagnetic layer. In the magnetoresistance device, for example, an MR head, using the magnetoresistance effect element having a magnetic multilayer film, an output voltage is approximately five times as high as that of the conventional material. Accordingly, there can be provided an excellent MR head which has extremely high reliability and enables the reading for ultrahigh density magnetic recording exceeding 1 Gbit/inch².

Claims

1. A magnetoresistance device comprising a magnetoresistance effect element, conductive films and electrode portions, wherein said conductive films are conductively connected to said magnetoresistance effect element through said electrode portions, and said magnetoresistance effect element comprises a magnetic multilayer film including a non-magnetic metal layer, a ferromagnetic layer formed on one surface of the non-magnetic metal layer, a soft magnetic layer formed on the other surface of said non-magnetic metal layer, and a pinning layer which is formed on (a surface opposite to a surface abutting the non-magnetic metal layer) said ferromagnetic layer to pin a direction of magnetization of said ferromagnetic layer, and wherein said pinning layer is formed of FeO_x (1.35≦

x≦

1.55, unit;

atomic ratio).

2. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element comprises a substrate from which said pinning layer, said ferromagnetic layer, said non-magnetic metal layer and said soft magnetic layer are laminated successively.

3. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of said pinning layer is set to 100 to 3000 Å

.

4. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer is formed of α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism.

5. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer contains α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism at least no less than 30 volume % and no more than 60 volume %.

6. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer is formed of an aggregate of microcrystals, no greater than 100 Å

, of α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism.

7. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer exhibits antiferromagnetism and its Neel temperature is 120°

C. to 400°

C.

8. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer is a film formed by sputtering a target of iron oxide by an ion beam sputtering method while applying an assist beam of mixed gas of Ar and O₂ relative to the substrate.

9. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said assist beam is within ranges of an accelerating voltage 60 to 150 eV, an ion current 4 to 15 mA, Ar:

O₂ flow ratio 1;

1 to 9;

1 and an Ar+O₂ flow rate 6 to 20 sccm.

10. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pinning layer is a film formed by sputtering a target of iron oxide in an atmosphere of mixed gas of Ar and oxygen using a radio-frequency sputtering method while adjusting an oxygen gas flow rate upon film formation to 20 to 40% relative to a total gas flow rate.

11. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferromagnetic layer has a composition represented by (Co_z Ni_1-z)_w Fe_1-w (0.4≦

z≦

1.0, 0.5w≦

1.0 by weight), and said soft magnetic layer has a composition represented by (Ni_x Fe_1-x)_y Co_1-y (0.7≦

x≦

0.9, 0.1≦

y≦

0.5 by weight).

12. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferromagnetic layer has a composition represented by (Co_z Ni_1-z)_w Fe_1-w (0.4≦

z≦

1.0, 0.5≦

w≦

1.0 by weight), and said soft magnetic layer has acomposition represented by Co_t M_u M'"'"'_q B_r (0.6≦

t≦

0.95, 0.01≦

u≦

0.2, 0.01≦

q≦

0.1, 0.05≦

r≦

0.3 by atomic ratio;

M represents at least one material selected from Fe and Ni, and M'"'"' represents at least one material selected from Zr, Si, Mo and Nb).

13. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-magnetic metal layer is formed of a material containing at least one material selected from Au, Ag and Cu.

14. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element shows a spin-valve type magnetoresistance change due to magnetization of said ferromagnetic layer pinned by said pinning layer.

15. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element has a slope of magnetoresistance change which is 0.7%/Oe or more at a width of 6 Oe under high-frequency magnetic field of 1 MHz.

16. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistance device is a magnetoresistance effect type head.

17. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 16, wherein both end portions of said magnetoresistance effect element are coupled to said electrode portions so that the whole end portions thereof are contacted with said electrode portions.

18. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising linking soft magnetic layers between said magnetoresistance effect element and said electrode portions which are formed at both end portions of said magnetoresistance effect element, wherein said linking soft magnetic layers and the whole end portions of said magnetoresistance effect element are in abutment with each other.

19. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said linking soft magnetic layer is continuously formed between said magnetoresistance effect element and each of said electrode portions formed at both end portions of said magnetoresistance effect element and in contact with a lower surface of said electrode portion.

20. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 16, which has no biasing magnetic field applying mechanism.

21. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferromagnetic layer is formed while applying an external magnetic field of 10 to 300 Oe in the same direction as a signal magnetic field and in a film in-plane direction upon film formation, and said soft magnetic layer is formed while applying an external magnetic field of 10 to 300 Oe in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the signal magnetic field and in a film in-plane direction upon film formation.

22. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said laminated magnetoresistance effect element is applied with a heat treatment at a temperature of 100°

C. to 300°

C.

23. The magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element is applied with a heat treatment at a temperature of 100°

C. to 300°

C. after at least said pinning layer is formed on the substrate.

24. A magnetoresistance device comprising a magnetoresistance effect element, conductive films and electrode portions, wherein said conductive films are conductively connected to said magnetoresistance effect element through said electrode portions, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element has a substrate on which a pinning layer for pinning a direction of magnetization of a ferromagnetic layer, said ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic metal layer and a soft magnetic layer are laminated successively, and wherein said pinning layer is formed of FeO_x (1.35≦

x≦

1.55, unit;

atomic ratio) and an oxygen blocking layer formed of Co or an alloy containing Co no less than 80 weight % and having a thickness of 4 to 30Å

is interposed between said pinning layer and said ferromagnetic layer.

25. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein a thickness of said pinning layer is set to 100 Å

to 3,000 Å

.

26. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer is formed of α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism.

27. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer contains α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism at least no less than 30 volume % and no more than 60 volume %.

28. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer is formed of an aggregate of microcrystals, no greater than 100Å

, of α

-Fe₂ O₃ (hematite) exhibiting antiferromagnetism.

29. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer exhibits antiferromagnetism and its Neel temperature is 120°

C. to 400°

C.

30. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer is a film formed by sputtering a target of iron oxide by an ion beam sputtering method while applying an assist beam of mixed gas of Ar and O₂ relative to the substrate.

31. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 30, wherein said assist beam is within ranges of an accelerating voltage 60 to 150 eV, an ion current 4 to 15 mA, Ar:

O₂ flow ratio 1;

1 to 9;

1 and an Ar+O₂ flow rate 6 to 20 sccm.

32. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pinning layer is a film formed by sputtering a target of iron oxide in an atmosphere of mixed gas of Ar and oxygen using a radio-frequency sputtering method while adjusting an oxygen gas flow rate upon film formation to 20 to 40% relative to a total gas flow rate.

33. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said ferromagnetic layer has a composition represented by (Co_z Ni_1-z)_w Fe_1-w (0.4≦

z≦

1.0, 0.5≦

w≦

1.0 by weight).

34. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said ferromagnetic layer has the same composition as said oxygen blocking layer.

35. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said soft magnetic layer is a laminate body including, from said non-magnetic layer, a first soft magnetic layer formed of Co or an alloy containing Co no less than 80 weight %, and a second soft magnetic layer having a composition represented by (Ni_z Fe_1-x)_y Co_1-y (0.7≦

x≦

0.9, 0.1≦

y≦

0.5 by weight).

36. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said non-magnetic metal layer is formed of a material containing at least one material selected from Au, Ag and Cu.

37. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said magnetoresistance effect element shows a spin-valve type magnetoresistance change due to magnetization of said ferromagnetic layer pinned by said pinning layer.

38. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said laminated magnetoresistance effect element is applied with a heat treatment at a temperature of 100°

C. to 300°

C.

39. A magnetoresistance device as claimed in claim 24. wherein said magnetoresistance effect element has a slope magnetoresistance change which is 0.7%/Oe or more at a of 6 Oe under high-frequency magnetic field of 1 MHz.