The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2000
Applicant:
Inventor:
Hisanao Tsuge, Tokyo, JP;
Assignee:
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/982 ; G11B 5/39 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/982 ; G11B 5/39 ;
Abstract
The invention provides a method of forming a tunnel barrier layer comprising at least a single oxide layered region in an intermediate layer sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers. The method comprises the following steps. An electrically conductive layer is formed on the first ferromagnetic layer. The electrically conductive layer is subjected to an exactly pure oxygen gas prepared by having introduced oxygen into a vacuum, so as to cause a natural oxidation of the electrically conductive layer, thereby to form an oxide layer forming a tunnel barrier. The second ferromagnetic layer is formed on the oxide layer.