Patent · US Expired

Magnetoresistance element, magnetoresistive head and magnetoresistive memory

US5715121A · kind A · utility

102Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1996
Grant dateFeb 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/2495
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A magnetoresistance element has a structure of a magnetic film 3, a nonmagnetic film 2 and a magnetic film 1 layered successively, and the nonmagnetic film is made of a mixture of electrical conductors and insulators. Then, magnetic coupling between the magnetic films 1 and 3 is reduced. Further, because it is possible to detect a magnetic field by supplying a current along a film plane, a large change in magnetoresistance is observed, or the sensitivity is high. Modified magnetoresistance elements are also described including a film 4 suppressing magnetization reversal or an interface magnetic film 5. A magnetic head for a hard disk is produced by adding a yoke to the magnetoresistance element. A memory device having a plurality of magnetoresistance elements is produced by adding word lines and the like thereto.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.