Inventors:
Kunliang Zhang - Milpitas CA, US
Daniel G Abels - San Francisco CA, US
Min Li - Dublin CA, US
Yu-Hsia Chen - Mountain View CA, US
Assignee:
Headway Technologies, Inc. - Milpitas CA
International Classification:
G11B 5/127, H04R 31/00
US Classification:
2960314, 2960315, 2960316, 2960318, 216 65, 360121, 360122, 360317, 427127, 427128
Abstract:
Concerns about inadequate electromigration robustness in CCP CPP GMR devices have been overcome by adding magnesium to the current confining structures that are presently in use. In one embodiment the alumina layer, in which the current carrying copper regions are embedded, is fully replaced by a magnesia layer. In other embodiments, alumina is still used but a layer of magnesium is included within the structure before it is subjected to ion assisted oxidation.