Patent ID: 7726008
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: B82Y,G01R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a magnetic-field sensor device, said method comprising: depositing a first electrode onto a substrate; depositing an electrically insulating layer on said first electrode; removing a portion of said electrically insulating layer to expose a region of said first electrode; after said removing of said portion of said electrically insulating layer, depositing a single layer of chemically-synthesized magnetic nanoparticles on said electrically insulating layer and said exposed region of said first electrode, wherein a height of said single layer of chemically-synthesized nanoparticles is equal to a depth of said insulating layer; depositing a second electrode on said chemically-synthesized nanoparticles and said electrically insulating layer, wherein said first and second electrodes comprise an electrically conducting and magnetic material and are separated by a distance in said exposed region equal to a thickness of said single layer of chemically-synthesized nanoparticles; and orienting said chemically-synthesized magnetic nanoparticles with a magnetic-moment orientation parallel to a direction of a current flow through said chemically-synthesized magnetic nanoparticles, wherein said chemically-synthesized nanoparticles each comprise an organic spacer which electrically isolates the nanoparticles from each other and acts as a tunnel barrier for electrons between said first and second electrodes, and wherein said electrically insulating layer is deposited on said first electrode to a thickness equal to said height of said single layer of chemically-synthesized nanoparticles.