Patent ID: 9529060
Filing Date: 2016-12-27
CPC Classification: G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A magnetoresistance element, comprising: a substrate; a first layer disposed over the substrate, the first layer comprising a seed layer; a second layer disposed over the first layer, the second layer comprising a first antiferromagnetic pinning layer, a third layer disposed over the second layer, the third layer comprising a first pinned layer, wherein a position of the second layer is selected to influence a magnetization of the third layer; a fourth layer disposed over the third layer, the fourth layer comprising a first nonmagnetic spacer layer; a fifth layer disposed over the fourth layer, the fifth layer comprising a free layer, the free layer having a plurality of magnetic domains, the plurality of magnetic domains comprising: a sixth layer disposed over the fifth layer, the sixth layer comprising a second pinned layer, wherein the sixth layer consists of a single ferromagnetic layer; a seventh layer disposed over the sixth layer, the seventh layer comprising a second antiferromagnetic pinning layer, a position of the seventh layer selected to influence a magnetization of the sixth layer, the sixth layer at a selected position relative to the fifth layer, the selected position of the sixth layer relative of the fifth layer resulting in a selected reduction in a quantity of magnetic domains within the second plurality of magnetic domains in the fifth layer without fully pinning the fifth layer; and an eighth layer disposed between the fifth layer and the sixth and seventh layers taken together, the eighth layer comprising a second nonmagnetic spacer layer, wherein a material of the eighth layer is selected to allow a thickness of the eighth layer to be greater than 0.5 nm while allowing a desired partial pinning between the fifth layer and the sixth layer, wherein the first pinned layer is comprised of: wherein magnetic field directions in the first and second pinned layers are annealed to be ninety degrees apart, and wherein a magnetic field direction in the second pinned layer is parallel with a magnetic field direction in the second antiferromagnetic pinning layer, and wherein the first and second antiferromagnetic pinning layers are both comprised of PtMn.