Magnetoresistive effect element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016013397-A1
Application number	US-201514637254-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A magnetoresistive effect element includes a recording layer having magnetic anisotropy and a variable magnetization direction, a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy and an invariable magnetization direction, an intermediate layer between the recording layer and the reference layer, an underlayer containing scandium (Sc) and disposed on a surface side of the recording layer opposite to a surface side on which the recording layer is disposed, and a side wall layer containing an oxide of Sc and disposed on side surfaces of the recording layer and the intermediate layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A magnetoresistive effect element comprising:
a recording layer having magnetic anisotropy and a variable magnetization direction; a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy and an invariable magnetization direction; an intermediate layer between the recording layer and the reference layer; an underlayer containing scandium (Sc) and disposed on a surface side of the recording layer opposite to a surface side on which the reference layer is disposed; and a side wall layer containing an oxide of Sc and disposed on side surfaces of the recording layer and the intermediate layer.

2 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
the underlayer and the side wall layer include an alloy of scandium-hafnium boron (ScHfB) that has Sc as a main component.

3 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 2 , wherein
a content percentage of boron (B) included in the underlayer is higher than a content percentage of B included in the side wall layer.

4 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
a resistance of the underlayer is lower than a resistance of the intermediate layer.

5 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
the underlayer includes microcrystal grains, all of which are 3 nm or less.

6 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
the underlayer has an amorphous structure.

7 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) disposed between the underlayer and the recording layer.

8 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a layer of aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) between the underlayer and the recording layer; and a layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) between the layer of aluminum scandium nitride and the recording layer.

9 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
a crystallization degree of the recording layer is lower than a crystallization degree of the reference layer.

10 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , wherein
crystal grains of the recording layer are smaller than crystal grains of the reference layer.

11 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second side wall layer disposed on an outer surface of the side wall layer, wherein the second side wall layer is more susceptible to oxidization than the intermediate layer.

12 . A magnetoresistive effect element comprising:
a recording layer having magnetic anisotropy and a variable magnetization direction; a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy and an invariable magnetization direction; an intermediate layer between the recording layer and the reference layer; an underlayer containing a lanthanoid metal and disposed on a surface side of the record layer opposite to a surface side on which the reference layer is disposed; and a side wall layer containing an oxide of the lanthanoid metal and disposed on a side surface of the record layer and a side surface of the intermediate layer.

13 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 12 , wherein
a resistance of the underlayer is lower than a resistance of the intermediate layer.

14 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 12 , wherein
the underlayer includes microcrystal grains, all of which are 3 nm or less.

15 . The magnetoresistive effect element according to claim 12 , wherein
the underlayer has an amorphous structure.

16 . A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive effect element, comprising:
forming a first layer containing scandium (Sc), a second layer having magnetic anisotropy and a variable magnetization direction, a non-magnetic third layer, and a fourth layer having magnetic anisotropy and an invariable magnetization direction, in this order; removing edge regions of the second, third, and fourth layers, such that a surface of the first layer underneath the second layer is exposed; and etching the exposed surface of the first layer, as a result of which a fifth layer containing an oxide of Sc is formed on side surfaces of the second and third layers.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein
the first layer includes an alloy of scandium-hafnium boron (ScHfB) that has Sc as a main component.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein
a content percentage of boron (B) included in the first layer is higher than a content percentage of B included in the fifth layer.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
forming a sixth layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) above the first layer after the forming of the first layer and before the forming of the second layer.

20 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
forming a sixth layer that is more susceptible to oxidization than the third layer, on an outer surface of the fifth layer.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kitagawa Eiji
• Amano Minoru
• Yakabe Megumi
• Maekawa Hiroaki

Classifications

• H01L43/08

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/12

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/02 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N50/85

  Materials of the active region · CPC title

• H10B61/22

  of the field-effect transistor [FET] type · CPC title