Patent ID: 7986497

Claim:
A tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read head with a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) configuration, wherein said read head has an ultra-thin tunneling barrier layer with ultra-low resistance and high breakdown voltage, comprising: a substrate; a lower electrode formed on said substrate, said lower electrode having an upper surface; an oxygen surfactant layer formed on said upper surface of said lower electrode; an ultra-thin, low resistance tunneling barrier layer formed as a naturally oxidized material layer on said surfactant layer, said ultra-thin, low resistance tunneling barrier layer having a more uniform and stable oxide stoichiometry throughout the thickness of said ultra-thin, low resistance tunneling barrier layer as a result of the formation of said ultra-thin, low resistance tunneling barrier layer on said surfactant layer and the adsorption of oxygen therefrom; an upper electrode formed on said tunneling barrier layer; a capping layer on said upper electrode.