MAGNETIC JUNCTION MAGNETIC MEMORY METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MAGNETIC JUNCTIONS HAVING IMPROVED CHARACTERISTICS

摘要

The method and apparatus provide a magnetic memory comprising a magnetic junction on a substrate. The apparatus includes a RIE chamber and an ion milling chamber. The chambers are connected and magnetic memory can move between the chambers without exposing the atmospheric environment. The method provides a hard mask film on the magnetic bonding films and the magnetic bonding films. The hard mask is formed from the hard mask film using RIE. The magnetic junction films define at least a portion of each magnetic junction after RIE etching, with magnetic memories ion milled without exposing the atmospheric environment. Magnetic junction is provided. The magnetic junction includes a pinned film, a nonmagnetic spacer film and a free film. The free film has a width of 20 nm or less and is switchable when the write current flows through the magnetic junction.