Method for manufacturing magnetoresistance effect element using simultaneous sputtering of Zn and ZnO

1. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive (MR) effective element, wherein the MR effective element comprises a pair of magnetic layers and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer including a Zinc Oxide (ZnO) film that is sandwiched by the pair of the magnetic layers, a relative angle of magnetization directions of the pair of magnetic layers varies because at least the magnetization direction of one of the pair of the magnetic layers varies according to an external magnetic field, the method comprising:

step for introducing a mix gas of oxygen gas and argon gas into a depressurized chamber, wherein a first target of ZnO, a second target of Zn and a substrate having a right-below layer on which a ZnO film is to be formed are disposed in the chamber, the first and second targets are configured to face the right-below layer;

step for depositing the ZnO film on the right-below layer by applying a first direct current (DC) application power between the first target and the substrate and by applying second direct current (DC) application power between the second target and the substrate after the mix gas introducing step, wherein the first and second DC application power are independently applied, and the first and second targets are set at negative potential, and the substrate is set at positive potential,

wherein the depositing step comprises controlling at least one of the first and second DC application power so that a percentage of the Zn, which is emitted from the second target, in the ZnO film deposited on the deposition surface is no less than 10%, and

wherein a c-axis of the ZnO film is angled with respect to a direction perpendicular to a surface of the ZnO film by simultaneous sputtering using the first target of ZnO and the second target of Zn.

2. The method of manufacturing the MR effective element of claim 1 , wherein

the mix gas in the step of introducing includes a partial pressure of oxygen gas in the mix gas no less than 2%.

3. A method of forming a ZnO film, comprising:

step for arranging a first target of ZnO, a second target of Zn, and a deposition object having a deposition surface, wherein the first and second targets are arranged to face the deposition surface in a depressurized chamber;

step for introducing a mix gas of oxygen gas and argon gas into the depressurized chamber;

step for depositing a ZnO film on the deposition surface by applying first direct current (DC) application power between the first target and the deposition object and by applying second direct current (DC) application power between the second target and the deposition object after the mix gas introducing step, wherein the first and second DC application power are independently applied, and the first and second targets are set at negative potential, and the deposition object is set at positive potential,

wherein the depositing step comprises controlling at least one of the first and second DC application power so that a percentage of the Zn, which is emitted from the second target, in the ZnO film deposited on the deposition surface is no less than 10%, and

wherein a c-axis of the ZnO film is angled with respect to a direction perpendicular to a surface of the ZnO film by simultaneous sputtering using the first target of ZnO and the second target of Zn.

4. The method of forming the ZnO film of claim 3 , wherein

the mix gas in the step of introducing includes a partial pressure of oxygen gas in the mix gas no less than 2%.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first DC application power is different from the second DC application power.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the first DC application power is different from the second DC application power.