Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Allegro Microsystems, LLC

International Business Machines Corporation

Crocus-technology Sa

Other

Jeffrey Childress

Matthew Joseph Carey

Stefan Maat

Neil Smith

Robert Fontana

John C Read

Young-Suk Choi

Jeffrey Scott Lille

Jordan Asher Katine

Andrey Timopheev

Kuok San Ho

Yang Li

Eric Edward Fullerton

Patrick Braganca

Bruce Alvin Gurney

Ching Hwa Tsang

Nikita Strelkov

Shekar B Chandrashekariaih

Neil Leslie Robertson

Clarisse Ducruet

Léa Cuchet

Douglas Johnson Werner

James Lamar Nix

Petrus Antonius Vanderheijden

Tomoya Nakatani

Mustafa Pinarbasi

Son Van Nguyen

Daniele Mauri

James Mac Freitag

Brian Rodrick York

Alexander Michael Zeltser

Manfred Ernst Schabes

Jui-lung Li

Elizabeth Ann Dobisz

Satoru Araki

Hamid Balamane

Ian Robson McFadyen

David Patrick Druist

Goran Mihajlovic

Sergio Nicoletti

Quentin Stainer

Hakan Ates Gurcan

Lucien Lombard

Kenneth MacKay

Ren Xu

Ali Alaoui

Thomas Robert Berthold

Elizabeth Ann Brinkman

Kashmira J Carey

Romain Foissac

Jeremy Alvarez-Herault

Markus Schwickert

Stuart Stephen Papworth-Parkin

A magnetoresistive element comprising a reference layer, a ferromagnetic sense layer having a free sense magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and the sense layer. The sense layer comprises a first sense layer portion in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and a second sense layer portion in contact with the first sense layer portion. The first sense layer portion is configured such that a magnetic coupling between the first and second sense layer portions is between ±10J/mand ±10J/m; and a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) originating from the interface between the first sense layer portion and the tunnel barrier layer is between 8×10A/m and 8×10A/m, such as to shift positively the TCS of the magnetoresistive element and compensate the negative temperature coefficient of TMR of the magnetoresistive element.

Magnetoresistive element having compensated temperature coefficient of TMR

A magnetoresistive element has a tunnel barrier layer included between a ferromagnetic reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization and a ferromagnetic sense layer having a free sense magnetization. The sense magnetization has a ferromagnetic material composition and a stable vortex configuration in the absence of an applied magnetic field. The ferromagnetic material composition varies across the thickness of the sense layer from a composition with higher magnetization near the tunnel barrier layer to a composition with lower magnetization away from the tunnel barrier layer, such that the sense magnetization and ferromagnetic exchange strength of the sense layer are higher near the tunnel barrier layer than away from the tunnel barrier layer.

Magnetoresistive element and magnetic sensor device having a high sensitivity and low zero-field offset-shift

Magnetoresistive element including a reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization, a sense layer having a free sense magnetization and a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and the sense layer; the magnetoresistive element being configured to measure an external magnetic field oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of the layers. The reference magnetization being oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of the reference layer. The sense magnetization including a vortex configuration in the absence of an external magnetic field, the vortex configuration being substantially parallel to the plane of the sense layer and having a vortex core magnetization along an out-of-plane axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer.

Magnetoresistive element for sensing a magnetic field in a Z-axis

A magnetoresistive sensor element including: a reference layer having a pinned reference magnetization; a sense layer having a free sense magnetization comprising a stable vortex configuration reversibly movable in accordance to an external magnetic field to be measured; a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and the sense layer; wherein the sense layer includes a first ferromagnetic sense portion in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and a second ferromagnetic sense portion in contact with the first ferromagnetic sense portion; the second ferromagnetic sense portion including a dilution element in a proportion such that a temperature dependence of a magnetic susceptibility of the sense layer substantially compensates a temperature dependence of a tunnel magnetoresistance of the magnetoresistive sensor element. Also, a method for manufacturing the magnetoresistive sensor element.

Magnetoresistive sensor element having compensated temperature coefficient of sensitivity and method for manufacturing said element

A magnetoresistive element for a two-dimensional magnetic field sensor, including: a ferromagnetic reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization, a ferromagnetic sense layer having a sense magnetization that can be freely oriented relative to the reference magnetization in the presence of an external magnetic field, and a tunnel barrier layer between the reference and sense ferromagnetic layers; the reference layer including a reference coupling layer between a reference pinned layer and a reference coupled layer; the reference coupled layer including a first coupled sublayer in contact with the reference coupling layer, a second coupled sublayer, a third coupled sublayer and a insert layer between the second and third coupled sublayers; the insert layer comprising a transition metal and has a thickness between about 0.1 and about 0.5 nm, and the thickness of the reference coupled layer is between about 1 nm and about 5 nm.

Magnetoresistive sensor element for sensing a two-dimensional magnetic field with low high-field error

Magnetic angular sensor element destined to sense an external magnetic field, including a magnetic tunnel junction containing a ferromagnetic pinned layer having a pinned magnetization, a ferromagnetic sensing layer, and a tunnel magnetoresistance barrier layer; the ferromagnetic sensing layer including a first sensing layer being in direct contact with the barrier layer and having a first sensing magnetization, a second sensing layer having a second sense magnetization, and a metallic spacer between the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer; wherein the metallic spacer is configured to provide an antiferromagnetic coupling between the first sensing magnetization and the second sensing magnetization such that the first sensing magnetization is oriented substantially antiparallel to the second sensing magnetization; the second sensing magnetization being larger than the first sensing magnetization, such that the second sensing magnetization is oriented in accordance with the direction of the external magnetic field.

Magnetic sensor element and device having improved accuracy under high magnetic fields

A magnetoresistive element for a magnetic sensor, the magnetoresistive element including a tunnel barrier layer between a reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization and a sense layer having a free sense magnetization, wherein the sense magnetization includes a stable vortex configuration. The magnetoresistive element further includes a reference pinning layer in contact with the reference layer and pining the reference magnetization by exchange-bias at a first blocking temperature. The magnetoresistive element further includes a sense pinning layer in contact with the sense layer and pining the sense magnetization by exchange-bias at a second blocking temperature lower that the first blocking temperature. Additionally, a method for manufacturing the magnetoresistive element.

Magnetoresistive sensor element having a wide linear response and robust nominal performance and manufacturing method thereof

A magnetoresistive element for a 2D magnetic sensor, the magnetoresistive element including a tunnel barrier layer included between a reference layer having a reference magnetization and a sense layer having a sense magnetization. The sense layer includes a sense synthetic antiferromagnetic structure including a first sense sublayer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer and separated from a second sense sublayer by a first non-magnetic spacer layer such that the first sense sublayer is antiferromagnetically coupled to the second sense sublayer. The sense layer is configured such that a sense magnetic ratio ΔM defined as: wherein Mand Mare the spontaneous magnetizations of the first and second sense sublayers and tand tare the thicknesses of the first and second sense sublayers; and wherein the sense magnetic ratio is between 0.1 and 0.25.

Magnetoresistive element for a 2D magnetic sensor having a reduced hysteresis response

A magnetic sensor including a plurality of magnetoresistive elements; each magnetoresistive element including a ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization that is orientable at or above a threshold temperature; the magnetic sensor further includes a plasmonic structure destined to be irradiated by electromagnetic radiation and including a spatially periodic plasmonic array of metallic structures. The period of the plasmonic array and the lateral dimension of the metallic structures are adjusted to obtain plasmon resonance of the plasmonic structure for a given wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation. The plasmonic array is arranged in the magnetic sensor such as to heat the first ferromagnetic layer at or above the threshold temperature, from the enhanced absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by plasmon resonance. The present disclosure further concerns a system including the sensor and an emitting device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation.

Magnetic sensor comprising magnetoresistive elements and system for programming such magnetic sensor

Magnetic field sensor for sensing a two-dimensional external magnetic field, including a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization, a sense ferromagnetic layer having a sense magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the sense and reference ferromagnetic layers; the sense ferromagnetic layer including a first sense ferromagnetic layer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer, a second sense ferromagnetic layer, and a first non-magnetic layer between the first and second sense ferromagnetic layers; the second sense ferromagnetic layer includes a plurality of multilayer element, each multilayer element including a second non-magnetic layer between two second ferromagnetic sense layers; and wherein the second sense ferromagnetic layer has a thickness equal or less than 12 nm.

Magnetic field sensor for sensing a two-dimensional external magnetic field having a low anisotropy field

The present disclosure concerns a magnetic reader (MR) sensor device for reading magnetic stripes, the MR sensor device comprising a substrate provided on a wafer, a back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect layer and a plurality of magneto-resistive sensor elements embedded within the BEOL interconnect layer; the MR sensor device comprising a protective layer having a Vickers hardness of at least 3 GPa. The present disclosure further concerns a method for manufacturing the MR sensor device. The MR sensor device can be brought close to the surface to the magnetic stripe so that the magnetic stripe can be read with an increased resolution.

Magnetic reader sensor device for reading magnetic stripes and method for manufacturing the sensor device

An apparatus for generating a magnetic field including permanent magnets arranged in a plane, each magnet being spatially separated along the plane from the adjacent magnet by a predetermined spacing, each magnet having a magnetic polarity opposed to the polarity of the adjacent magnet such that a magnetic field of adjacent magnets is oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane and in opposite directions, each magnet being spatially separated in the plane from the adjacent magnet by a nonmagnetic material. A method for programming a magnetic device or sensor device using the apparatus is also described.

Apparatus for generating a magnetic field and method of using said apparatus

A magnetic sensor cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer having a reference magnetization oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the reference layer, a sense layer having a sense magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the sense and reference layers. The sense layer includes an intrinsic anisotropy substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer such that the sense magnetization is orientable between an initial direction perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer and a direction parallel to the plane of the sense layer; the intrinsic anisotropy having in anisotropy field being above 150 Oe.

Magnetic sensor cell for measuring one- and two-dimensional magnetic fields and method for measuring said magnetic fields using the magnetic sensor cell

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic head having an amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer. The ferromagnetic reference layer may have amorphous structure as a result of an amorphous ferromagnetic underlayer that the ferromagnetic reference layer is deposited thereon. The amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer enhances magnetoresistance, leading to an improved magnetic head.

Underlayer for reference layer of polycrystalline CPP GMR sensor stack

A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is 'self-aligned' on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.

Method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor with reduced-width self-aligned top electrode

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jeffrey Childress