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:
Dec. 03, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 27, 2000
Kazuhiko Hayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Keishi Ohashi, Tokyo, JP;
Nobuyuki Ishiwata, Tokyo, JP;
Masafumi Nakada, Tokyo, JP;
Hisao Matsutera, Tokyo, JP;
Hisanao Tsuge, Tokyo, JP;
Atsushi Kamijo, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A magneto-resistive element comprises a first electrode, a magneto-resistive layer formed on the first electrode in which resistance is changed in accordance with magnetic field, and a second electrode layer formed on the magneto-resistive layer. The magneto-resistive layer has a first magnetic layer formed on the first electrode, a non-magnetic layer formed on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer formed on the non-magnetic layer. The average surface roughness of the first electrode is equal to or smaller than 0.3 nm. Since the first electrode has such the small average surface roughness, the non-magnetic layer formed on the first electrode layer is flattened, thus, current leakage is prevented. The first electrode is made of at least one of Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf, W, Mo, Y, V, Nb, Au, Ag, Pd, and Pt which has strong bond strength. Since the first electrode has strong bond strength, exfoliation of the first electrode from the layers contacting the first electrode does not occur.