Structural characterization of nano-oxide layers in PtMn based specular spin valves

Author

Lifan Chen ; Zhitao Diao ; Yiming Huai

Author_Institution

Read Rite Corp., Fremont, CA, USA

fYear

2002

Abstract

Summary form only given. Specular spin-valves with nano-oxide layers (NOLs) demonstrated large giant-magnetoresistance (GMR) ratio up to 16% and are being used as the sensor layer in the high magnetic recording heads. It was found that the GMR ratio and exchange bias field is very sensitive to nano-oxide layer quality and its process the techniques and conditions. A detailed structural characterization of NOL and the spin-valve structures is very important in order to understand the structure and magnetic correlation in such specular spin-valves. This work presents a systematic structural characterization of NOL and specular spin-valves using low and high-angle X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

Keywords

X-ray diffraction; exchange interactions (electron); giant magnetoresistance; interface structure; manganese alloys; nanostructured materials; platinum alloys; spin valves; transmission electron microscopy; GMR; GMR ratio; PtMn; PtMn based specular spin valves; exchange bias field; high-angle x-ray diffraction; high-resolution transmission electron microscopy; large giant magnetoresistance; layer quality; low-angle x-ray diffraction; magnetic correlation; magnetic recording heads; nano-oxide layers; sensor layer; structural characterization; Annealing; Coercive force; Diffraction; Magnetic analysis; Magnetic anisotropy; Oxidation; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Plasma temperature; Spin valves; X-ray scattering;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Magnetics Conference, 2002. INTERMAG Europe 2002. Digest of Technical Papers. 2002 IEEE International

Conference_Location

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7365-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/INTMAG.2002.1001194

Filename

1001194