METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MAGNETO-RESISTANCE EFFECT ELEMENT, MAGNETIC HEAD ASSEMBLY, AND MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a magneto-resistance effect element is disclosed. The element has first and second magnetic layers, and an intermediate layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers. The intermediate layer has an insulating layer and a conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer. The method can include forming a structure body having the insulating layer and the conductive portion, performing a first treatment including irradiating the structure body with at least one of ion including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton and a plasma including at least one selected from the group, and performing a second treatment including at least one of exposure to gas containing oxygen or nitrogen, irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen or nitrogen, irradiation of plasma containing oxygen or nitrogen, to the structure body submitted to the first treatment.
1 . A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistance effect element having a first magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material, a second magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the intermediate layer having an insulating layer and a conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer, the method comprising:
forming a structure body having the insulating layer and the conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer;
performing a first treatment including irradiating the structure body with at least one of an ion including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton and a plasma including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton; and
performing a second treatment including at least one of exposure to a gas containing oxygen, irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen, irradiation of plasma containing oxygen, exposure to a gas containing nitrogen, irradiation of ion beam containing nitrogen, and irradiation of plasma containing nitrogen, to the structure body submitted to the first treatment.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen includes irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen and at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton,
the irradiation of plasma containing oxygen includes irradiation of plasma containing oxygen and at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton,
the irradiation of ion beam containing nitrogen includes irradiation of ion beam containing nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton, and
the irradiation of plasma containing nitrogen includes irradiation of plasma containing nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a non-magnetic layer on the structure body after the performing the second treatment.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a non-magnetic layer on the structure body before the performing the first treatment.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forming the structure body includes:
forming films to form a first metal film being to be the conductive portion and a second metal film being to be converted to the insulating film; and
converting the second metal film to the insulating film to form the structure body.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the converting includes at least one of:
irradiating the second metal film with at least one of an ion including at least one element selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon, and krypton and a plasma including at least one element selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon, and krypton; and
irradiating the second metal film with at least one of a ion including at least one of oxygen and nitrogen and a plasma including at least one of oxygen and nitrogen.
7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein oxidation generation energy of the first metallic film is higher than oxidation generation energy of the second metallic film.
8 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first metallic film contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, and Ag and the second metallic film contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Hf, Ti, Ta, Mo, W, Nb, Mg, Cr, and Zr.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the forming the structure body includes oxidation treatment and
the second treatment includes a treatment with an oxidation power smaller than an oxidation power of the oxidation treatment included in the forming the structure body.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the forming the structure body includes oxidation treatment using an ion beam and
the second treatment includes a treatment using an ion beam with an accelerating voltage smaller than an accelerating voltage of the ion beam in the oxidation treatment included in the forming the structure body.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the composite layer; and
forming a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the composite layer,
the forming the structure body being performed after the forming the first nonmagnetic layer, and
the forming the second nonmagnetic layer being performed after the second treatment.
12 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the composite layer; and
forming a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the composite layer,
the forming the structure body being performed after the forming the first nonmagnetic layer, and
the forming the second nonmagnetic layer being performed between the forming the structure body and the first treatment.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the second treatment includes oxygen gas treatment using an Ar ion beam,
the first treatment includes a treatment using a high-frequency power which is set from 20 watts with plus 20% to 20 watts with minus 20%.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the second treatment includes oxygen gas treatment using a Xe ion beam and
the first treatment includes a treatment using a high-frequency power which is set from 40 watts with plus 20% to 40 watts with minus 20%.
15 . A magnetic head assembly, comprising:
a magneto-resistance effect element;
a suspension mounting the magneto-resistance effect element in one edge of the suspension; and
an actuator arm connected to another edge of the suspension,
the magneto-resistance effect element including:
a first magnetic layer including the ferromagnetic material;
a second magnetic layer including the ferromagnetic material; and
an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the intermediate layer having the insulating layer and the conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer,
the magneto-resistance effect element being manufactured by a method including:
forming a structure body having the insulating layer and the conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer;
performing a first treatment including irradiating the structure body with at least one of an ion including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton and a plasma including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton; and
performing a second treatment including at least one of exposure to a gas containing oxygen, irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen, irradiation of plasma containing oxygen, exposure to a gas containing nitrogen, irradiation of ion beam containing nitrogen, and irradiation of plasma containing nitrogen, to the structure body submitted to the first treatment.
16 . A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising:
a magnetic head assembly including;
a magneto-resistance effect element;
a suspension mounting the magneto-resistance effect element in one edge of the suspension; and
an actuator arm connected to another edge of the suspension; and
a magnetic recording medium, information being recorded in the magnetic recording medium by using the magneto-resistance effect element mounted on the magnetic head assembly,
the magneto-resistance effect element, including:
a first magnetic layer including the ferromagnetic material;
a second magnetic layer including the ferromagnetic material; and
an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the intermediate layer having the insulating layer and the conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer,
the magneto-resistance effect element being manufactured by a method including:
forming a structure body having the insulating layer and the conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer;
performing a first treatment including irradiating the structure body with at least one of an ion including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton and a plasma including at least one selected from the group consisting of argon, xenon, helium, neon and krypton; and
performing a second treatment including at least one of exposure to a gas containing oxygen, irradiation of ion beam containing oxygen, irradiation of plasma containing oxygen, exposure to a gas containing nitrogen, irradiation of ion beam containing nitrogen, and irradiation of plasma containing nitrogen, to the structure body submitted to the first treatment.