CPP device with a plurality of metal oxide templates in a confining current path (CCP) spacer
US7978442B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 3, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49227
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A novel CCP scheme is disclosed for a CPP-GMR sensor in which an amorphous metal/alloy layer such as Hf is inserted between a lower Cu spacer and an oxidizable layer such as Al, Mg, or AlCu prior to performing a pre-ion treatment (PIT) and ion assisted oxidation (IAO) to transform the amorphous layer into a first metal oxide template and the oxidizable layer into a second metal oxide template both having Cu metal paths therein. The amorphous layer promotes smoothness and smaller grain size in the oxidizable layer to minimize variations in the metal paths and thereby improves dR/R, R, and dR uniformity by 50% or more. An amorphous Hf layer may be used without an oxidizable layer, or a thin Cu layer may be inserted in the CCP scheme to form a Hf/PIT/IAO or Hf/Cu/Al/PIT/IAO configuration. A double PIT/IAO process may be used as in Hf/PIT/IAO/Al/PIT/IAO or Hf/PIT/IAO/Hf/PIT/IAO schemes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.