Magnetoresistive spin valve sensor with tri-layer free layer
First Claim
1. A TMR sensor element having improved free layer coercivity, improved magnetoresistive ratio, low areal resistance and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
- a seed layer;
a pinning layer formed on said seed layer;
a pinned layer formed on said pinning layer and magnetically coupled thereto;
a tunneling barrier layer formed on said pinned layer;
a multi-layered composite free layer including at least three magnetic layers formed on said barrier layer;
a capping layer formed on said free layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A TMR sensor, a CPP GMR sensor and a CCP CPP GMR sensor all include a tri-layered free layer that is of the form CoFe/CoFeB/NiFe, where the atom percentage of Fe can vary between 5% and 90% and the atom percentage of B can vary between 5% and 30%. The sensors also include SyAP pinned layers which, in the case of the GMR sensors include at least one layer of CoFe laminated onto a thin layer of Cu. In the CCP CPP sensor, a layer of oxidized aluminum containing segregated particles of copper is formed between the spacer layer and the free layer. All three configurations exhibit extremely good values of coercivity, areal resistance, GMR ratio and magnetostriction.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A TMR sensor element having improved free layer coercivity, improved magnetoresistive ratio, low areal resistance and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
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a seed layer; a pinning layer formed on said seed layer; a pinned layer formed on said pinning layer and magnetically coupled thereto; a tunneling barrier layer formed on said pinned layer; a multi-layered composite free layer including at least three magnetic layers formed on said barrier layer; a capping layer formed on said free layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of forming a TMR sensor element having improved free layer coercivity, improved magnetoresistive ratio, low areal resistance and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
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providing a seed layer; forming a pinning layer on said seed layer; forming a pinned layer on said pinning layer; forming a tunneling barrier layer on said pinned layer; forming a composite, multi-layered free layer on said barrier layer; forming a capping layer on said free layer; magnetically coupling said pinning layer to said pinned layer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A CCP CPP GMR sensor having improved coercivity, improved areal resistance, improved GMR ratio and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
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a seed layer; a pinning layer formed on said seed layer; a pinned layer formed on said pinning layer and magnetically coupled thereto; a first conducting, non-magnetic spacer layer formed on said pinned layer; a CCP layer formed on said first spacer layer; a second spacer layer formed on said CCP layer; a composite multi-layer free layer formed on said second spacer layer; a capping layer formed on said free layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of forming a CCP CPP GMR sensor having improved coercivity, improved areal resistance, improved GMR ratio and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
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providing a seed layer; forming a pinning layer on said seed layer; forming a pinned layer on said pinning layer; forming a first conducting, non-magnetic spacer layer on said pinned layer; forming a CCP layer on said first spacer layer; forming a second conducting, non-magnetic spacer layer on said CCP layer; forming a multi-layer composite free layer on said second spacer layer; forming a capping layer on said free layer; magnetically coupling said pinning layer to said pinned layer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A CPP GMR sensor having improved coercivity, improved areal resistance, improved GMR ratio and improved magnetostriction properties comprising:
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a seed layer; a pinning layer formed on said seed layer; a pinned layer formed on said pinning layer and magnetically coupled thereto; a conducting, non-magnetic spacer layer formed on said pinned layer; a tri-layer composite free layer formed on said spacer layer; a capping layer formed on said free layer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification