| US 7,514,117 B2 | ||
| Method and apparatus for manufacturing magnetoresistive element | ||
| Hideaki Fukuzawa, Sagamihara (Japan); Katsuhiko Koui, Yokohama (Japan); Hiromi Yuasa, Yokohama (Japan); Susumu Hashimoto, Ebina (Japan); and Hitoshi Iwasaki, Yokosuka (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 09, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/199,448. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2004-233641 (JP), filed on Aug. 10, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0034022 A1, Feb. 16, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B05D 5/12 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 427—127 [427/132; 428/812; 360/324.1] | 25 Claims |
| 1. A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element including a magnetization pinned layer having a magnetization direction
substantially pinned in one direction, a magnetization free layer having a magnetization direction that varies depending on
an external field, and a spacer layer including an insulating layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the
magnetization free layer and current paths penetrating into the insulating layer, the method comprising:
a process of forming the spacer layer comprising:
depositing a first metal layer including a first element;
depositing a second metal layer including a second element that is more easily oxidized than the first element on the first
metal layer;
performing a pretreatment of irradiating the second metal layer with an ion beam or a RF plasma of a rare gas so as to cause
the first element in the first metal layer to be sucked up in the second metal layer as the current paths; and
supplying an oxidation gas or a nitriding gas while irradiating the second metal layer with an ion beam or a RF plasma of
a rare gas so as to form the insulating layer.
|