Metal treatment – Stock
Patent
1987-11-30
1989-10-17
Rutledge, L. Dewayne
Metal treatment
Stock
148 33, 148 336, 148DIG5, 148DIG65, 148DIG169, 156610, 252 623C, 420555, 420576, 437 96, 437104, 437107, 437108, 437112, H01L 4308
Patent
active
048744387
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an intermetallic compound semiconductor thin film and a method of manufacturing the film, and more particularly to a III-V group intermetallic compound semiconductor thin film having both a high electron mobility and a high resistance value, and to a method of manufacturing such film.
BACKGROUND ART
As a substance having a magnetic resistance effect (characteristics that its resistance value varies under the influence of a magnetic field), III-V group intermetallic compounds have been known. Among them, In-Sb compound (Indium-Antimony compound) is widely known as a substance having high electron mobility which affects sensitivity (i.e., the rate of change in an element resistance value with respect to variation of a magnitude of the magnetic field). Therefore, the In-Sb compound is used as a magnetic resistance element for use in a magnetic sensor.
However, the In-Sb intermetallic compound has in itself an extremely low resistance value. Therefore, when the In-Sb intermetallic compound is used to manufacture a magnetic resistance element, the extremely low resistance value of the In-Sb intermetallic compound makes it difficult to perform impedence matching between the magnetic resistance element and an amplification circuit connected to the magnetic resistance element.
In order to compensate for the foregoing defect of the magnetic resistance element comprising an In-Sb intermetallic compound semiconductor film, measures have been contrived in which, by utilizing the shape effect a vertical-to-transversal side ratio, the magnetic resistance element is made larger so as to increase its resistance value at the sacrifice of its sensitivity, or a large number of the elements, each having a small resistance value, are connected in series so as to increase the resistance value while trying to maintain is sensitivity.
In general, a conventional magnetic resistance element comprising an In-Sb intermetallic compound semiconductor thin film has a configuration as shown in FIG. 4, the configuration being determined on the basis of a principle which will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIG. 2 is presented to explain an operational principle of a magnetic resistance element in which a magnetic resistance element 1 comprising an In-Sb intermetallic compound is provided with terminals 2 and 2' at opposing ends thereof. When electricity is applied across these terminals 2 and 2', electrons move along the shortest path between the terminals 2 and 2', as shown in FIG. 2(a), if the magnetic resistance element 1 is not under the influence of a magnetic field B. When the magnetic resistance element 1 is placed in the magnetic field B, electrons move along a curved path as shown in FIG. 2(b). Incidentally, the above-mentioned magnetic resistance effect is subjected to a so-called shape effect. In other words, the magnetic resistance effect depends on the shape of a magnetic resistance element. More particularly, as is apparant from FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), if the element has a large sides ratio b/a, the rate of change in its resistance value is small with respect to variation in the magnitude of the magnetic field B, that is, the sensitivity of the magnetic resistance element is low although the element resistance value is large.
As described above, the conventional magnetic resistance element comprising an intermetallic compound semiconductor shows unsatisfactory characteristics both for electron mobility and for the element resistance value. To compensate for the low sensitivity, measures have been taken in which a large number of magnetic resistance elements 1 are connected in series with each other, each having a small vertical-to-transversal sides ratio, while on the thin film of the magnetic resistance elements 1, terminals 2 and 2' and short bars 3 are provided by such a method as etching as shown in FIG. 4(a).
However, in the configuration of FIG. 4(a), the magnetic resistance element 1 is long. FIG. 4(b) shows another configuration in which the long magnetic resis
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Fukunaka Toshiaki
Isai Masaaki
Oshita Masahide
Rutledge L. Dewayne
Schumaker David W.
Toyo Communication Equipment Co., Ltd.
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