Patent ID: 7894165
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L

Abstract:
1. A magneto-resistive effect device having a current-perpendicular-to-plane structure and having a multilayer structure comprising a fixed magnetized layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer and a free layer such that said nonmagnetic spacer layer is sandwiched between the fixed magnetized layer and the free layer, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein: said fixed magnetization layer has a multilayer structure comprising a first Co-containing alloy layer, a first Fe barrier layer, a first Heusler alloy layer, a second Fe barrier layer, and a second Co-containing alloy layer, in that order and such that the second Co-containing alloy layer is closest to the nonmagnetic spacer layer; said free layer functions such that a magnetization direction changes depending on an external magnetic field, and said free layer has a multilayer structure comprising a third Co-containing alloy layer, a third Fe barrier layer, and a second Heusler alloy layer, in that order and such that the third Co-containing alloy layer is closest to the nonmagnetic spacer layer; and said first and second Fe barrier layers inhibit diffusion of Co atoms from the first and second Co-containing alloy layers respectively to the first Heusler alloy layer, and said third Fe barrier layer inhibits diffusion of Co atoms from the third Co-containing alloy layer to the second Heusler alloy layer.