Patent ID: 6787369
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a magneto-resistive effect element including a multilayer structure portion in which there are laminated at least a magnetic flux guide layer, a free layer made of a soft magnetic material of which the magnetization is rotated in response to an external magnetic field or said free layer also acting as said magnetic flux guide layer, a fixed layer made of a ferromagnetic material, an antiferromagnetic layer for fixing the magnetization of said fixed layer and a spacer layer interposed between said free layer and said fixed layer, said method of manufacturing said magneto-resistive effect element comprising:forming a multi layer film having at least said antiferromagnetic layer, said fixed layer and said spacer layer; patterning said multilayer film after a predetermined pattern; filling up a circumference of said patterned multilayer film with an insulating layer; forming said magnetic flux guide layer or said free layer also acting as said magnetic flux guide layer over said insulating layer and said patterned multilayer film; and simultaneously patterning said magnetic flux guide layer and said multilayer film after a predetermined pattern by beam etching, to form said multilayer structure portion wherein said patterning is executed by such etching that etch rates of materials composing said multilayer structure portion and materials composing said insulating layer are made approximately equal by selecting an incident angle of an etching beam.