Patent ID: 6165287
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of fabricating a ferromagnetic tunnel-junction magnetic sensor, said ferromagnetic tunnel-junction magnetic sensor including a first ferromagnetic layer, an insulation barrier layer including a tunnel oxide film and formed on said first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer formed on said insulation barrier layer, said method comprising the steps of:forming an oxide film on a surface of said first ferromagnetic layer with a thickness that allows substantial tunneling of elections through said oxide film;depositing a metal layer on said oxide film with a thickness larger than one molecular layer in terms of an oxide of the metal forming said metal layer;forming said tunnel oxide film on said metal layer by oxidizing a surface of said metal layer; andforming said second ferromagnetic layer on said oxidized surface of said metal layer.