Magnetic sensor using giant magnetoresistive elements and method for manufacturing the same
First Claim
1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a single substrate;
a first giant magnetoresistive element disposed on the substrate, the first giant magnetoresistive element being formed of a single-layer-pinned spin-valve film comprisinga single-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer including a single ferromagnetic layer and a pinning layer,a free layer whose magnetization direction changes in response to an external magnetic field, anda spacer layer made of a nonmagnetic conductive material, disposed between the ferromagnetic layer and the free layer,wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a first direction by the pinning layer, so that the ferromagnetic layer serves as a pinned layer; and
a second giant magnetoresistive element disposed on the substrate, the second giant magnetoresistive element being formed of a plural-layer-pinned spin-valve film comprisinga plural-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer including a first ferromagnetic layer, an exchange coupling layer adjoining the first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer adjoining the exchange coupling layer, and a pinning layer adjoining the second ferromagnetic layer,a free layer whose magnetization direction changes in response to an external magnetic field, anda spacer layer made of a nonmagnetic conductive material disposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the free layer, wherein the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer is fixed by the pinning layer and the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a second direction antiparallel to the first direction by exchange coupling of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer with the exchange coupling layer therebetween, so that the first ferromagnetic layer serves as a pinned layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic sensor includes a single substrate, a conventional GMR element formed of a spin-valve film including a single-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer, and a SAF element formed of a synthetic spin-valve film including a plural-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer. When the spin-valve film intended to act as the conventional GMR element and the synthetic spin-valve film intended to act as the SAF element are subjected to the application of a magnetic field oriented in a single direction at a high temperature, they become giant magnetoresistive elements whose magnetic-field-detecting directions are antiparallel to each other. Since films intended to act as the conventional GMR element and the SAF element can be disposed close to each other, the magnetic sensor which has giant magnetoresistive elements whose magnetic-field-detecting directions are antiparallel to each other can be small.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
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a single substrate; a first giant magnetoresistive element disposed on the substrate, the first giant magnetoresistive element being formed of a single-layer-pinned spin-valve film comprising a single-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer including a single ferromagnetic layer and a pinning layer, a free layer whose magnetization direction changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a spacer layer made of a nonmagnetic conductive material, disposed between the ferromagnetic layer and the free layer, wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a first direction by the pinning layer, so that the ferromagnetic layer serves as a pinned layer; and a second giant magnetoresistive element disposed on the substrate, the second giant magnetoresistive element being formed of a plural-layer-pinned spin-valve film comprising a plural-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer including a first ferromagnetic layer, an exchange coupling layer adjoining the first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer adjoining the exchange coupling layer, and a pinning layer adjoining the second ferromagnetic layer, a free layer whose magnetization direction changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a spacer layer made of a nonmagnetic conductive material disposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the free layer, wherein the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer is fixed by the pinning layer and the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer is fixed in a second direction antiparallel to the first direction by exchange coupling of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer with the exchange coupling layer therebetween, so that the first ferromagnetic layer serves as a pinned layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification