SPIN TUNNEL MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT FILM AND ELEMENT, AND MAGNETORESISTANCE SENSOR USING THE SAME, AND MAGNETIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a spin tunnel magnetoresistance effect, a spin tunnel magnetoresistance effect element, and a magnetic device using the same, excellent in heat stability and showing a low enough resistance for a magnetic head and a large linear magnetic field sensitivity in the vicinity of zero magnetic flux.;SOLUTION: The spin tunnel magnetoresistance effect film is laminated by a magnetic thin film exchange-biased by an exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic material and a magnetic thin film for detecting magnetic field through a tunnel barrier layer with a magnetic thin film or an antiferromagnetic thin film (PtMn, PdMn, NiMn) laminated on a foundation layer (Ta, Zr, Hf) and takes 0.1 to 5 Angstroms for its surface unevenness. A control means for controlling the surface unevenness introduces oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, or mixed gas of them at partial pressure ranging from 10-6 Torr to 10-9 Torr to a film forming chamber, makes a temperature of a substrate 0°C or less, or oxidizes a surface of the foundation layer. A film stack laminated by high-permeability magnetic amorphous material and nonmagnetic metal conductive layer is used for a lower electrode material.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO