Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head – Magnetoresistive reproducing head
Patent
1998-08-21
2000-08-01
Cao, Allen T.
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head
Magnetoresistive reproducing head
G11B 5127
Patent
active
060975792
ABSTRACT:
A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device for use as a magnetic field sensor or as a memory cell in a magnetic random access (MRAM) array has one pinned ferromagnetic layer and one free ferromagnetic layer formed on opposite sides of an insulating tunnel barrier layer, and a hard biasing layer that is in proximate contact with and magnetostatically coupled to the free ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic tunnel junction in the sensor is formed on a first shield, which also serves as an electrical lead, and is made up of a stack of layers (MTJ stack). The layers in the MTJ stack are an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned ferromagnetic layer, an insulating tunnel barrier layer, and a free ferromagnetic layer. The MTJ stack is generally rectangularly shaped with parallel side edges. A layer of hard biasing ferromagnetic material is in abutting contact to or overlapping the MTJ stack to longitudinally bias the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer in a preferred direction. A first layer of electrically insulating material isolates the hard biasing material from the first shield so that sensing current is not shunted to the hard biasing material but is allowed to flow perpendicularly through the layers in the MTJ stack. A second layer of electrically insulating material isolates the hard bias material from the second shield which also acts as an electrical lead for the MTJ stack.
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Cao Allen T.
Gill William D.
International Business Machines - Corporation
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