Sputtering target and antiferromagnetic film and magneto-resistance effect element formed by using the same

• US 6,165,607 A
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Materials Company Limited (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamanobe, Takashi, Katsui, Nobuo, Ishigami, Takashi, Watanabe, Takashi, Sahashi, Masashi, Iwasaki, Hitoshi, Saito, Kazuhiro, Fuke, Hiromi, Fujioka, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): KILIMAN, LESZEK B
• Application Number:
  US09/101,455
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 428/694 R, 428/692, 428/694 T, 428/900, 428/332, 428/336, 427/128-130, 204/192.2, 360/113, 148/314
• US Class Current: 428/332
• 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: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/14 Metallic material, boron or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• 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 5/3903 using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3932 Magnetic biasing films
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3218 Exchange coupling of magnetic films via an antiferromagnetic interface H01F10/3268 takes precedence
• 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: H01F 41/183 Sputtering targets therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/302 for applying spin-exchange-coupled multilayers, e.g. nanostructured superlattices spin-exchange-coupled multilayers H01F10/32
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/90 Magnetic feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1121 Multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A sputtering target consisting essentially of Mn and at least one kind of R element selected from a group of Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Rh, Ir, V, Nb, Ta, Cu, Ag, Au, Ru, Os, Cr, Mo, W, and Re. The sputtering target, at least as a part of target texture, comprises one member selected from a group of an alloy phase and a compound phase formed between the R element and Mn. In addition, oxygen content in the target is 1 weight % or less (including 0). With such a sputtering target, an anti-ferromagnetic material film consisting of RMn alloy excellent in corrosion resistivity and thermal performance can be stabilized in its film composition and film quality. By employing the anti-ferromagnetic material film, when an exchange coupling film is formed by stacking the anti-ferromagnetic material film and the ferromagnetic material film, sufficient exchange coupling force is obtained stably. Such an exchange coupling film can be used in a magneto-resistance effect element and the like.

Claims

1. A sputtering target consisting essentially of Mn and at least one kind of R element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Rh, Ir, V, Nb, Ta, Cu, Ag, Ru, Os, Cr, Mo, W, and Re, wherein the sputtering target comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alloy phase and a compound phase formed between the R element and Mn as at least a part of the target texture.

2. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 1 weight % or less.

3. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.7 weight % or less.

4. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.1 weight % or less.

5. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.025 weight % or less.

6. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein the maximum diameter of the Mn grain, other than the Mn constituting the alloy phase and the compound phase, is 50 μ

m or less and wherein the average grain diameter of the Mn is in the range of from 10 to 40 μ

m.

7. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.3 weight % or less.

8. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.2 weight % or less.

9. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.01 weight % or less.

10. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.005 weight % or less.

11. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein the R element is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ir, Pt, and Pd.

12. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein the relative density of the sputtering target is 90% or more.

13. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 12, wherein the sputtering target is obtained by sintering.

14. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 12, wherein the sputtering target is obtained by a melting method.

15. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sputtering target contains 30 atomic % or more of Mn.

16. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Be, Ti, Zr, Hf, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, and N.

31. An anti-ferromagnetic material film formed into a film by a sputtering method with the sputtering target as set forth in claim 1.

32. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising an anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 31.

33. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising the anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 31 and a ferromagnetic material film exchange-coupled with the anti-ferromagnetic material film.

34. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising the anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 31, a first ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled with the anti-ferromagnetic material film, and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked on the first ferromagnetic layer through a non-magnetic layer.

35. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 32, wherein the anti-ferromagnetic material film has a thickness in the range of 3 to 15 nm.

36. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 32, wherein the anti-ferromagnetic material film has a thickness of 10 nm or less.

37. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 33, wherein the ferromagnetic material film has a thickness in the range of 1 to 3 nm.

45. A magnetic head comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 32.

46. A magnetic recording apparatus comprising a magnetic head as set forth in claim 45.

47. The magnetic recording apparatus as set forth in claim 46, wherein the magnetic recording apparatus is an HDD recording apparatus.

48. A magnetic memory apparatus comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 32.

50. The magnetic memory apparatus as set forth in claim 48, wherein the magnetic memory is a magneto-resistance effect memory.

52. A magnetic sensor comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 32.

17. A sputtering target consisting essentially of Mn and at least one kind of R element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Rh, Ir, V, Nb, Ta, Cu, Ag, Ru, Os, Cr, Mo, W, and Re, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 1 weight % or less.

18. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.7 weight % or less.

19. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.1 weight % or less.

20. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein an oxygen content of the sputtering target is 0.025 weight % or less.

21. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.3 weight % or less.

22. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.2 weight % or less.

23. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.01 weight % or less.

24. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein a carbon content of the sputtering target is 0.005 weight % or less.

25. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein the R element is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ir, Pt, and Pd.

26. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein the relative density of the sputtering target is 90% or more.

27. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 26, wherein the sputtering target is obtained by sintering.

28. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 26, wherein the sputtering target is obtained by a melting method.

29. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, wherein the sputtering target contains 30 atomic % or more of Mn.

30. The sputtering target as set forth in claim 17, further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Be, Ti, Zr, Hf, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, and N.

38. An anti-ferromagnetic material film formed into a film by a sputtering method with the sputtering target as set forth in claim 17.

39. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising an anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 38.

40. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising the anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 38 and a ferromagnetic material film exchange-coupled with the anti-ferromagnetic material film.

41. A magneto-resistance effect element comprising the anti-ferromagnetic material film as set forth in claim 38, a first ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled with the anti-ferromagnetic material film, and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked on the first ferromagnetic layer through a non-magnetic layer.

42. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 39, wherein the anti-ferromagnetic material film has a thickness in the range of 3 to 15 nm.

43. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 39, wherein the anti-ferromagnetic material film has a thickness of 10 nm or less.

44. The magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 40, wherein the ferromagnetic material film has a thickness in the range of 1 to 3 nm.

49. A magnetic memory apparatus comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 39.

51. The magnetic memory apparatus as set forth in claim 49, wherein the magnetic memory is a magneto-resistance effect memory.

53. A magnetic sensor comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 39.

54. A magnetic head comprising a magneto-resistance effect element as set forth in claim 38.

55. A magnetic recording apparatus comprising a magnetic head as set forth in claim 54.

56. The magnetic recording apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein the magnetic recording apparatus is an HDD recording apparatus.