Magnetoresistive sensor with a specular scattering layer formed by deposition from an oxide target

1 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . A method of forming a magnetic sensor comprising:

providing a ferromagnetic free layer;

depositing a dusting layer adjacent to the free layer; and

depositing an oxide specular scattering layer adjacent to the dusting layer from an oxide target, wherein the oxide specular scattering layer comprises a nonmagnetic oxide.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the oxide specular scattering layer is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , ZrO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti 2 O 3 and Ti 3 O 5 .

30 . The method of claim 28 wherein the oxide specular scattering layer has a thickness in the range of about 5 Å to about 25 Å.

31 . The method of claim 28 wherein the dusting layer is selected from the group consisting of Cu and CuAg.

32 . The method of claim 28 wherein the dusting layer has a thickness in the range of about 2 Å to about 20 Å.

33 . The method of claim 28 and further comprising depositing a cap layer adjacent to the specular scattering layer.

34 . A method of forming a magnetic sensor comprising:

providing a ferromagnetic reference layer; and

depositing an oxide specular scattering layer adjacent to the reference layer, wherein the specular scattering layer is formed by deposition from an oxide target and comprises a nonmagnetic oxide.

35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the specular scattering layer is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , ZrO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti 2 O 3 and Ti 3 O 5 .

36 . The method of claim 34 wherein the oxide specular scattering layer has a thickness in the range of about 3 Å to about 25 Å.

37 . A method of forming a magnetic device by depositing a plurality of layers to form a multilayer stack, characterized by:

forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the specular scattering layer is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , ZrO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti 2 O 3 and Ti 3 O 5 .

39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the specular scattering layer has a thickness in the range of about 5 Å to about 25 Å.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein depositing a plurality of layers to form a multilayer stack comprises:

depositing a synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) including a ferromagnetic pinned layer, a coupling layer, and a ferromagnetic reference layer;

depositing a spacer layer on the ferromagnetic reference layer; and

depositing a ferromagnetic free layer on the spacer layer.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target comprises:

forming a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target adjacent to the ferromagnetic reference layer.

42 . The method of claim 40 , wherein depositing a plurality of layers to form a multilayer stack further comprises:

depositing a dusting layer on the ferromagnetic free layer.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the dusting layer is selected from the group consisting of Cu and CuAg.

44 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the dusting layer has a thickness in the range of about 2 Å to about 20 Å.

45 . The method of claim 42 , wherein forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target comprises:

forming a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target on the dusting layer.

46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein depositing a plurality of layers to form a multilayer stack further comprises:

depositing a cap layer on the nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer.

47 . The method of claim 37 , wherein forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target comprises RF sputtering the oxide target.

48 . The method of claim 37 , wherein forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target comprises electron beam sputtering the oxide target.

49 . The method of claim 37 , wherein forming within the multilayer stack a nonmagnetic oxide specular scattering layer from an oxide target comprises ion beam sputtering the oxide target.