Accession Number:

ADA326112

Title:

Giant Magnetoresistive Sensors A. Phase II.

Descriptive Note:

Progress rept. for 15 Nov 96-15 May 97,

Corporate Author:

NONVOLATILE ELECTRONICS INC EDEN PRAIRIE MN

Personal Author(s):

• Daughton, James M.
• Tondra, Mark

Report Date:

1997-05-15

Pagination or Media Count:

14.0

Abstract:

It was determined that some sort of pinning was required to achieve the desired material sensitivity. This presented a large practical difficulty in processing the SDT devices. This is because typical pinning materials, and FeMn in particular, are not compatible with the wet etch technique we were using for forming the top electrode of our SDT devices. Several possible solutions to this problem were identified, and one of those has proven to be quite successful. The best solution is to replace the wet etch of the top electrode with an ion mill etch. The difficulty here is that there is no practical etch stop for the ion mill the Al2O3 barrier serves as the etch stop for the wet technique. Consequently, the effort was in learning how to predict and measure the progress of the ion mill etch. We now have depth control of this process to about 2OA.

Descriptors:

• *MAGNETIC DETECTORS
• *MAGNETOSTRICTION
• DEPTH CONTROL
• ION BEAMS
• SENSITIVITY
• ETCHING
• IRON ALLOYS
• MANGANESE ALLOYS

Subject Categories:

• Magnetic and Electric Field Detection and Detectors

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE