Tohoku University

Konica Minolta, Inc.

Denso Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Mikihiko Oogane

Yasuo Ando

Junichi Jono

Kenichi Ao

Kosuke Fujiwara

Takafumi Nakano

Koujirou Sekine

Masaaki Tsuchida

Toshifumi Yano

Takamoto Furuichi

Hiroaki Yoda

Daisuke Watanabe

Tatsuya Kishi

Toshihiko Nagase

Masatoshi Yoshikawa

Tadashi Kai

Eiji Kitagawa

Tadaomi Daibou

Katsuya Nishiyama

Makoto Nagamine

Takashi Terauchi

Shigemi Mizukami

Terunobu Miyazaki

Ryuichiro Abe

Kousuke Fujiwara

Wu Feng

A magnetic sensor includes: a substrate; and first and second magnetoresistive devices on one surface of the substrate. Each of the first and second magnetoresistive devices includes: a fixed layer having an easy magnetization axis perpendicular to the one surface and having a fixed magnetization direction; a free layer having a variable magnetization direction; and an intermediate layer made of a non-magnetic material and arranged between the fixed layer and the free layer. The fixed layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer arranged between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer.

Magnetic sensor and method for manufacturing said magnetic sensor

Provided is a production method for a magnetoresistive element including treating a stacked layer into a predetermined shape. The stacked layer includes a magnetoresistive layer whose resistance changes depending on a magnetic field and a cap layer above the magnetoresistive layer and having a thickness in a range of 10 nm to 60 nm. The method further includes covering and protecting the stacked layer with an insulating layer, forming an opening in the insulating layer by reactive etching and exposing a surface of the cap layer at the opening, etching the cap layer in a range less than a total thickness of the cap layer by ion milling of the surface, and depositing an upper layer to be a part of the magnetoresistive element. The upper layer is in contact with the surface of the cap layer after the etching.

Magnetoresistive element, and production method for magnetoresistive element

There are provided: an element arrayincluding a plurality of tunnel magnetoresistive elementsrespectively having a fixed magnetic layera free magnetic layerand an insulation layerprovided between the fixed magnetic layerand the free magnetic layerthe elements respectively for varying the tunnel resistance of the insulation layerby influence of an external magnetic field; and an electric circuitthat applies a voltage to a plurality of the tunnel magnetoresistive elementsforming the element arraywith the voltage to be applied to each tunnel magnetoresistive element being equal to or higher than 0.1 mV and equal to or lower than 50 mV.

Magnetic sensor, sensor unit, magnetic detection device, and magnetic measurement device

A method for producing a tunnel magnetoresistive element includes a stacking step, then in-magnetic field heating, and then dry etching. The stacking includes stacking a B absorption layer which is in contact with an upper surface of a CoFeB layer. The dry etching includes removal of layers to the B absorption layer. An end of etching is set as an end point time detected by an analysis device when a final layer before the B absorption layer directly above the CoFeB layer is exposed has reduced to a prescribed level, or when the B absorption layer directly above the CoFeB layer has increased to the prescribed level. An amount of over-etching after the end point time is specified in advance, and the B absorption layer is stacked such that the thickness from the prescribed level to the upper surface of the CoFeB layer corresponds to the over-etching amount.

Method for producing tunnel magnetoresistive element

A tunnel magnetic resistance element includes the following, a fixed magnetic layer with a fixed direction of magnetization, a free magnetic layer in which the direction of magnetization changes, and an insulating layer which is positioned between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. The fixed magnetic layer, the free magnetic layer, and the insulating layer form a magnetic tunnel junction. A resistance of the insulating layer changes by a tunnel effect according to a difference in an angle between the direction of magnetization of the fixed magnetic layer and the direction of magnetization of the free magnetic layer. The free magnetic layer includes a ferromagnetic layer, a soft magnetic layer, and a magnetic bonding layer placed in between. Material of the magnetic bonding layer include Ru or Ta, and a layer thickness is 1.0 nm to 1.3 nm.

Tunnel magnetic resistance element and method for manufacturing same

A magneto-resistance element includes a resistance variable layer and a trap layer. The resistance variable layer includes the alloy having B. A resistance of the resistance variable layer changes according to a magnetic field. The trap layer is for trapping the B diffused from the resistance variable layer. With this structure, the B in the resistance variable layer becomes easily trapped in the trap layer and becomes difficult to be diffused to an outside of the magneto-resistance element. A difficulty associated with B diffusion to the outside of the magneto-resistance element can be prevented from occurring.

Magneto-resistance element and magnetic sensor using the same

A magnetic sensor includes a magnetization fixed layer, a magnetic field detecting layer, and an intermediate layer. The magnetization fixed layer is formed into a thin-film shape, and a magnetization direction of the magnetization fixed layer is fixed in a direction parallel to an in-plane direction. A magnetization direction of the magnetic field detecting layer changes depending on an external magnetic field. The intermediate layer is disposed between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetic field detecting layer, and a resistance value of the intermediate layer changes depending on an angle between the magnetization direction of the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization direction of the magnetic field detecting layer. A magnetization amount per unit area of the magnetic field detecting layer is less than 0.2 [memu/cm].

Magnetic sensor

A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a base layer; a first magnetic layer formed on the base layer and having a changeable magnetization direction with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a first nonmagnetic layer formed on the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer formed on the first nonmagnetic layer and having a fixed magnetization layer with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to the film plane. The first magnetic layer includes a ferrimagnetic layer having a DOstructure or an L1structure, the ferrimagnetic layer has a c-axis oriented in a direction perpendicular to the film plane, and the magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changeable by a current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer, and the second magnetic layer.

Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory

Growing community of inventors

Sendai, Japan

Mikihiko Oogane