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:
Oct. 29, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2000
TDK Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for measuring characteristics of a tunnel magnetoresistance effect element having a tunnel multilayered film comprising a tunnel barrier layer and a first and a second ferromagnetic layer formed to sandwich the tunnel barrier layer therebetween. This method comprises the steps of setting an initial current value I which does not destroy the element to be measured, measuring, using the current value I , a first resistance value R as an approximate resistance value of the element, defining, based on the first resistance value R and a voltage value Vs which is a measurement standard for the element, an inspection current value Is (Is=Vs/R ), and measuring characteristics of the element using the inspection current value Is. Therefore, “without damaging or destroying elements” and “in an effective way”, the characteristics of the element can be measured.