US5500633A
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Magnetoresistance effect element
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1994-10-17
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Granted: 1996-03-19
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Expires: 2014-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A magnetoresistance effect element includes a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic layers, and having a mixture layer constituted by a mixture of a ferromagnetic element and a non-ferromagnetic element interposed between adjacent stacked magnetic and non-magnetic layers so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect. The multilayered stack includes at least two magnetic layers, at least two mixture layers, and at least one non-magnetic layer. 2(X1/Xn)/n is larger than 1.1 where n is the number of atomic layers of the mixture layer, X1 is an atomic concentration (%) of the ferromagnetic element of an atomic layer closest to the magnetic layer, and Xn is an atomic concentration (%) of the ferromagnetic element of the n-th atomic layer closest to the non-magnetic layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshiaki Saito
- 👤 Koichiro Inomata
- 👤 Shiho Okuno
- 👤 Yoshinori Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:51
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N50/00; H10N50/80; H10N50/85
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers, and having a mixture layer constituted by a mixture of a ferromagnetic element and a non-ferromagnetic element interposed between adjacent stacked magnetic and non-magnetic layers so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect, wherein said multilayer stack includes at least two said magnetic layers, at least two said mixture layers, and at least one said non-magnetic layer, and wherein 2(X 1 /X n )/n is larger than 1.1 where n is the number of atomic layers of said mixture layer, X 1 is an atomic concentration (%) of said ferromagnetic element of an atomic layer closest to said magnetic layer, and X n is an atomic concentration (%) of said ferromagnetic element of the n-th atomic layer closest to said non-magnetic layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers, and having a mixture layer constituted by a mixture of a ferromagnetic element and a non-ferromagnetic element interposed between adjacent stacked magnetic and non-magnetic layers so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect, wherein said multilayer stack includes at least two said magnetic layers, at least two said mixture layers, and at least one said non-magnetic layer, and wherein 2(X 1 /X n )/n is larger than 1.1 where n is the number of atomic layers of said mixture layer, X 1 is an atomic concentration (%) of said ferromagnetic element of an atomic layer closest to said magnetic layer, and X n is an atomic concentration (%) of said ferromagnetic element of the n-th atomic layer closest to said non-magnetic layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, and alloys thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said non-magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cr, Au, Ag, Ru, and alloys thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic layer has a thickness of 2Å to 100Å.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 4, wherein said magnetic layer has a thickness of 4Å to 80Å.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said non-magnetic layer has a thickness of 2Å to 100Å.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 6, wherein said non-magnetic layer has a thickness of 9Å to 50Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein the 2(X 1 /X n )/n is larger than 1.5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein the X 1 is larger than 60%.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein the X n is smaller than 40%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said mixture layer has a thickness of 1.2Å to 10Å.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
105 words
An element according to claim t, wherein when a probability P(X 1 ) of magnetic atoms being concentrated around a magnetic atom in said mixture layer is represented by equation (1) below, α 1 in equation (1) satisfies -0.3≦α 1 ≦1.0: P(X.sub.1)=X.sub.1 +α.sub.1 (1-X.sub.1) (1) where X 1 is a concentration of magnetic atoms of an i-th layer of said mixture layer, and α 1 is an order parameter represents a degree of localization in -1≦α 1 ≦1 condition α 1 =0 represents a random atomic arrangement, condition α 1 <0 represents an order state, and condition α 1 >0 represents formation of a cluster.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
An element according to claim 1, further comprising a bias applying layer for applying bias magnetic field to said multilayer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic layers and at least one non-magnetic layer, said at least one non-magnetic layer containing a metal element or an alloy thereof wherein said metal element or alloy thereof is magnetically polarized in a non-ferromagnetic matrix metal material due to the presence of said magnetic layer, said multilayer exhibiting a magnetoresistance effect.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic layers and at least one non-magnetic layer, said at least one non-magnetic layer containing a metal element or an alloy thereof wherein said metal element or alloy thereof is magnetically polarized in a non-ferromagnetic matrix metal material due to the presence of said magnetic layer, said multilayer exhibiting a magnetoresistance effect.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An element according to claim 14, wherein said magnetic layer contains a material from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, and alloys thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
An element according to claim 14, wherein said metal element magnetically polarized contains material selected from the group consisting of Ni, Mn, Pt, Pd, Rh, Co, and Fe.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An element according to claim 14, wherein said matrix metal contains a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Mo, Nb, and Al.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An element according to claim 14, comprising 2-20 atm % of said magnetically polarized metal element or an alloy thereof in said non-magnetic layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 14, wherein said magnetic layer has a thickness of 2Å to 100Å.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 14, wherein said non-magnetic layer has a thickness of 2Å to 100Å.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
An element according to claim 14, further comprising a bias applying layer for applying bias magnetic field to said multilayer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
75 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic layers and at least one first non-magnetic layer, and having second non-magnetic layers interposed between adjacent magnetic and first non-magnetic layers, wherein said second non-magnetic layers contain a metal element or an alloy thereof wherein said metal element or alloy thereof is magnetically polarized in a non-ferromagnetic matrix metal material due to the presence of said magnetic layer, said multilayer exhibiting a magnetoresistance effect.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
75 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising a multilayer stack of alternating magnetic layers and at least one first non-magnetic layer, and having second non-magnetic layers interposed between adjacent magnetic and first non-magnetic layers, wherein said second non-magnetic layers contain a metal element or an alloy thereof wherein said metal element or alloy thereof is magnetically polarized in a non-ferromagnetic matrix metal material due to the presence of said magnetic layer, said multilayer exhibiting a magnetoresistance effect.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni and alloys thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said first non-magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Mo, Nb, and Al.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said metal element magnetically polarized in said second non-magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Ni, Mn, Pt, Pd, Rh, Co, and Fe.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said matrix metal in said second non-magnetic layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Mo, Nb, and Al.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said second non-magnetic layer contains said magnetically polarized metal element or an alloy thereof in an amount of not more than 50 atm %.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said magnetic layer has a thickness of 4Å to 100Å.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said first non-magnetic layer has a thickness of 5Å to 80Å.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to claim 22, wherein said second non-magnetic layer has a thickness of 1Å to 5Å.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
An element according to claim 22, further comprising a bias applying layer for applying bias magnetic field to said multilayer.
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