Field ramp down for pinned synthetic antiferromagnet
View Patent ↗Techniques for processing magnetic devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of processing a magnetic device including two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises the following steps. A magnetic field is applied in a given direction to orient a direction of magnetization of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers. The direction of the applied magnetic field is rotated in relation to a positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers to counteract at least a portion of a change in a direction of magnetization experienced by at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers when the applied magnetic field is reduced.
1. A method of processing a magnetic device comprising two or more anti-parallel coupled layers, the method comprising the steps of:
applying a magnetic field in a given direction to orient a direction of magnetization of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers; and
rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to a positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers to counteract at least a portion of a change in a direction of magnetization experienced by at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers when the applied magnetic field is reduced.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic device further comprises at least one anti-ferromagnetic layer.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one anti-ferromagnetic layer is used to orient the direction of magnetization of at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers present in the at least one free layer.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein a direction of magnetization of the at least one anti-ferromagnetic layer is substantially the same as the direction of the applied magnetic field.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of heating the device to greater than or equal to a temperature wherein an exchange bias between at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers and the at least one anti-ferromagnetic layer vanishes.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device is heated at a temperature of from about 250° C. to about 300° C. for a duration of from about one hour to about five hours.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprise a ferromagnet.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises multiple layers.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of multiple layers comprises a ferromagnetic layer.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of multiple layers comprises an anti-ferromagnetic layer.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applied magnetic field is reduced to zero.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers are coupled by one or more spacer layers therebetween.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in the direction of magnetization experienced by the at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises an angular excursion.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers reduces an amount of change in the direction of magnetization experienced by the at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers by greater than or equal to about 50 percent.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers reduces an amount of change in the direction of magnetization experienced by the at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers by greater than or equal to about 75 percent.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers substantially eliminates the change in the direction of magnetization experienced by the at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises changing the direction of the applied magnetic field while maintaining the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises rotating the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers while maintaining the direction of the applied magnetic field.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises both changing the direction of the applied magnetic field and rotating the positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers.
20. A magnetic device comprising two or more anti-parallel coupled layers, the magnetic device being formed comprising the steps of:
applying a magnetic field in a given direction to orient a direction of magnetization of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers; and
rotating the direction of the applied magnetic field in relation to a positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers to counteract at least a portion of a change in a direction of magnetization experienced by at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers when the applied magnetic field is reduced.