IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,367,834
Granted Patent B2
US 11,367,834 · App. 17/000,481 · Granted Jun 21, 2022

Magnetoresistance effect element

Inventors: Tomoyuki Sasaki (Tokyo, JP); Tatsuo Shibata (Tokyo, JP); Katsuyuki Nakada (Tokyo, JP); Yoshitomo Tanaka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
H01L45/147G11B5/39G11C11/161H01L27/222H01L43/02H01L43/08H01L43/10H01L43/12G11C11/1675
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,367,834
App. No.
17/000,481
Granted
Jun 21, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, and the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure in which cations are disordered, and contains a divalent cation of a non-magnetic element, a trivalent cation of a non-magnetic element, oxygen, and one of nitrogen and fluorine.

Claims (34)

1. A method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction comprising:

a step of forming a first ferromagnetic metal layer on a substrate;

a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer on the first ferromagnetic layer;

a step of natural oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, oxygen, and nitrogen in a state in which the substrate is heated; and

a step of forming a second ferromagnetic metal layer on the tunnel barrier layer,

wherein the step of forming a tunnel barrier layer comprises a plurality of steps of forming a metal layer represented by a composition formula Mg 1-x Al x (0<x<1) and a step of oxidizing the metal layer formed in at least one of the plurality of steps of forming a metal layer.

2. A method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction comprising:

a step of forming a first ferromagnetic metal layer on a substrate;

a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer on the first ferromagnetic layer;

a step of inductively coupled plasma oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, oxygen, and one of nitrogen and fluorine in a state in which the substrate is heated and

a step of forming a second ferromagnetic metal layer on the tunnel barrier layer,

wherein the step of forming a tunnel barrier layer comprises a plurality of steps of forming a metal layer represented by a composition formula Mg 1-x Al x (0<x<1) and a step of oxidizing the metal layer formed in at least one of the plurality of steps of forming a metal layer.

3. A method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction comprising:

a step of forming a first ferromagnetic metal layer on a substrate;

a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer on the first ferromagnetic layer;

a step of natural oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, fluorine, and oxygen in a state in which the substrate is heated and

a step of forming a second ferromagnetic metal layer on the tunnel barrier layer,

wherein the step of forming a tunnel barrier layer comprises a plurality of steps of forming a metal layer represented by a composition formula Mg 1-x Al x (0<x<1) and a step of oxidizing the metal layer formed in at least one of the plurality of steps of forming a metal layer.

4. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising:

a step of inductively coupled plasma oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, fluorine, and oxygen in a state in which the substrate is heated.

5. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising:

a step of natural oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, oxygen, and nitrogen after a substrate temperature is lowered.

6. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to claim 5 ,

the substrate temperature is lowered to a temperature in a range of −70° C. or more and −30° C. or less.

7. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising:

a step of natural oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, fluorine, and oxygen after a substrate temperature is lowered.

8. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to claim 7 ,

the substrate temperature is lowered to a temperature in a range of −70° C. or more and −30° C. or less.

9. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,

the substrate temperature is lowered to a temperature in a range of −70° C. or more and −30° C. or less.

10. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to claim 1 further comprising:

a step of inductively coupled plasma oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, oxygen, and nitrogen in a state in which the substrate is heated.

11. The method of manufacturing a ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to claim 1 further comprising:

a step of inductively coupled plasma oxidizing the substrate by introducing at least Ar, fluorine, and oxygen in a state in which the substrate is heated.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2020
From: SASAKI, TOMOYUKI; SHIBATA, TATSUO; NAKADA, KATSUYUKI; TANAKA, YOSHITOMO
To: TDK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054136/0552 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-071414 · Mar 31, 2015 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 16587178 · Sep 30, 2019
Continuation 16142112 · Sep 26, 2018
Continuation 15559195
Related Publication 20210028354A1 · Jan 28, 2021