Patent US5549978A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5549978A
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US
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Magnetoresistance effect element
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-01
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Granted: 1996-08-27
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Expires: 2013-11-01
Abstract
Abstract It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetoresistance effect element which has a film with a spin valve structure or an artificial lattice film having good soft magnetic characteristics, and which can be applied to a high-sensitivity magnetic head. The present invention provides a magnetoresistance effect element including a stacked film formed on a substrate by sequentially stacking a ferromagnetic film containing as its main constituents at least one elements selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, and Ni, a nonmagnetic film, and the ferromagnetic film, wherein the two ferromagnetic films are not coupled with each other, and the closest packed plane of each ferromagnetic film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the film surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Iwasaki
- 👤 Yuichi Ohsawa
- 👤 Reiko Kondoh
- 👤 Susumu Hashimoto
- 👤 Atsuhito Sawabe
- 👤 Yuzo Kamiguchi
- 👤 Masashi Sahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:35
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/127; G11B5/33; G11B5/39; G11B5/3903; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y25/00; H; H01; H01F; H01F10/00; H01F10/32; H01F10/324; H01F10/325; H01F10/3268; H10; H10N; H10N50/00; H10N50/10; H10N50/80; H10N50/85; G11B2005/3996; G11B5/3906; G11B5/3929; G11B5/3932; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/90; Y10S428/922; Y10S428/9265; Y10S428/928; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/11; Y10T428/1107; Y10T428/1121; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12465; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12535; Y10T428/12542; Y10T428/12576; Y10T428/12583; Y10T428/1259; Y10T428/12611; Y10T428/1266; Y10T428/12674; Y10T428/12736; Y10T428/1275; Y10T428/12771; Y10T428/12806; Y10T428/12826; Y10T428/12847; Y10T428/12854; Y10T428/12861; Y10T428/12875; Y10T428/12882; Y10T428/12889; Y10T428/12896; Y10T428/12903; Y10T428/1291; Y10T428/12931
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a substrate; a stacked film formed on said substrate, and a pair of leads to supply current to said stacked film, said stacked film being comprised of a first ferromagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film and a nonmagnetic film disposed between said first and second ferromagnetic films wherein said first and second ferromagnetic films are not substantially coupled with each other, a direction of magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film is pinned, said second ferromagnetic film is a field-detecting film, the magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film does not substantially rotate with lower signal magnetic fields than the magnetization of said second ferromagnetic film does, said second ferromagnetic film comprises a Co alloy having a fcc crystal structure, and a (111) plane of said stacked film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said stacked film, wherein said nonmagnetic film comprises Cu, Al, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Ir, Au, Ag, a CuPd alloy, a CuPt alloy, a CuAu alloy or a CuNi alloy, wherein said first ferromagnetic film comprises Co, a CoFe-alloy, a CoNi alloy, a NiFe alloy, a NiFeCo alloy or Fe 8 N, and wherein said second ferromagnetic film comprises a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy or a NiFeCo alloy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a substrate; a stacked film formed on said substrate, and a pair of leads to supply current to said stacked film, said stacked film being comprised of a first ferromagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film and a nonmagnetic film disposed between said first and second ferromagnetic films wherein said first and second ferromagnetic films are not substantially coupled with each other, a direction of magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film is pinned, said second ferromagnetic film is a field-detecting film, the magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film does not substantially rotate with lower signal magnetic fields than the magnetization of said second ferromagnetic film does, said second ferromagnetic film comprises a Co alloy having a fcc crystal structure, and a (111) plane of said stacked film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said stacked film, wherein said nonmagnetic film comprises Cu, Al, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Ir, Au, Ag, a CuPd alloy, a CuPt alloy, a CuAu alloy or a CuNi alloy, wherein said first ferromagnetic film comprises Co, a CoFe-alloy, a CoNi alloy, a NiFe alloy, a NiFeCo alloy or Fe 8 N, and wherein said second ferromagnetic film comprises a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy or a NiFeCo alloy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said second ferromagnetic film is made of Co 100-x Fe x , x being 5 to 40.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ferromagnetic films are made of Co 100-x Fe x , x being 5 to 40.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein a half-width of a rocking curve is less than 20° at a (111) plane reflection peak of an X-ray diffraction curve of said stacked film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a surface roughness of less than 5 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
An element according to claim 1, further comprising a first bias film so as to apply a first bias magnetic field to said first ferromagnetic film, and a second bias film so as to apply a second bias field to said second ferromagnetic film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
An element according to claim 1, further comprising an undercoating film between said substrate and said stacked film, said undercoating film having a fcc crystal structure with a larger lattice constant than those of said first and second ferromagnetic films.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An element according to claim 1, further comprising an undercoating film between said substrate and said stacked film, said undercoating layer comprising a magnetic amorphous material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An element according to claim 2, wherein said second ferromagnetic film further comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Al, Cu, Ta, In, B, Nb, Hf, Mo, W, Re, Ru, Rh, Ga, Zr, It, Au, and Ag.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to claim 6, wherein said stacked film is between said first and second bias films.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
An element according to claim 6, wherein a direction of said first bias magnetic field is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said second bias magnetic field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
An element according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second bias films comprises an antiferromagnetic film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
An element according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second bias films comprises a magnetically soft film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An element according to claim 7, wherein said undercoating film has an electric resistivity higher than those of said first and second ferromagnetic films.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to claim 7, wherein said undercoating film has a resistivity of 50 μΩ·cm or more.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
An element according to claim 7, wherein said first undercoating layer comprises NiFeX in which X is an element selected from the group consisting of Rh, Nb, Zr, Hf, Ta, Re, Ir, Pd, Pt, Cu, Mo, W, Ti, Cr, Au, and Ag.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
209 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a substrate; a stacked film formed on said substrate, and a pair of leads to supply current to said stacked film, said stacked film being comprised of a first ferromagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film and a nonmagnetic film disposed between said first and second ferromagnetic films wherein a thickness of said nonmagnetic film is between 0.5 nm and 20 nm, a direction of magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film is pinned, said second ferromagnetic film is a field-detecting film, the magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film does not substantially rotate with lower signal magnetic fields than the magnetization of said second ferromagnetic film does, said second ferromagnetic film comprises a Co alloy having a fcc crystal structure, and a (111) plane of said stacked film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said stacked film, wherein said nonmagnetic film comprises Cu, Al, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Ir, Au, Ag, a CuPd alloy, a CuPt alloy, a CuAu alloy or a CuNi alloy, wherein said first ferromagnetic film comprises Co, a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy, a NiFe alloy, a NiFeCo alloy or FesN, and wherein said second ferromagnetic film comprises a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy or a NiFeCo alloy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
209 words
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a substrate; a stacked film formed on said substrate, and a pair of leads to supply current to said stacked film, said stacked film being comprised of a first ferromagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film and a nonmagnetic film disposed between said first and second ferromagnetic films wherein a thickness of said nonmagnetic film is between 0.5 nm and 20 nm, a direction of magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film is pinned, said second ferromagnetic film is a field-detecting film, the magnetization of said first ferromagnetic film does not substantially rotate with lower signal magnetic fields than the magnetization of said second ferromagnetic film does, said second ferromagnetic film comprises a Co alloy having a fcc crystal structure, and a (111) plane of said stacked film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said stacked film, wherein said nonmagnetic film comprises Cu, Al, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Ir, Au, Ag, a CuPd alloy, a CuPt alloy, a CuAu alloy or a CuNi alloy, wherein said first ferromagnetic film comprises Co, a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy, a NiFe alloy, a NiFeCo alloy or FesN, and wherein said second ferromagnetic film comprises a CoFe alloy, a CoNi alloy or a NiFeCo alloy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-08-27 | 2000-02-26 | 2000-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-08-27 | 2004-02-26 | 2004-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-08-27 | 2008-02-26 | 2008-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |