Method for forming a lateral giant magnetoresistance multilayer for a magnetoresistive sensor
US5858455A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 12, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB82Y25/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for forming a magnetoresistive sensor results in the spontaneous formation or "self-assembly" of a giant magnetoresistance multilayer structure of alternating stripes of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic metal that are stacked laterally on a special template layer. The template layer is a crystalline structure that has a two-fold uniaxial surface, i.e., one that is structurally invariant for a rotation by 180 degrees (and only 180 degrees) about an axis (the symmetry axis) perpendicular to the surface plane. Such a template layer is the (110) surface plane of body-centered-cubic Mo. The alternating stripes of ferromagnetic metal (such as Co or Fe) and nonferromagnetic metal (such as Ag) become spontaneously arranged laterally on the template layer during co-deposition, such as during ultrahigh vaccum evaporation, and are aligned so that the direction of compostion modulation, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the alternating stripes is along one of the unique axes of the template layer and in a plane parallel to the template layer. A crystalline base layer may be used beneath the template layer to enhance the growth of the template layer. If the template layer is (110)…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.