Robust giant magnetoresistance material system for magnetic sensors

\u3cp\u3eA robust giant magnetoresistance (GMR) material system based on an exchange-biased artificial antiferromagnet are described. For the exchange biasing Ir\u3csub\u3e18\u3c/sub\u3eMn\u3csub\u3e82\u3c/sub\u3e was used. Experiments have shown that this material can withstand magnetic fields >150 kA/m and annealing at temperatures >275 °C without irreversible damage. The outstanding thermal and magnetic robustness, combined with a unambiguous asymmetric magnetoresistance curve, make this GMR material system very suitable for application in sensors.\u3c/p\u3

Compositional, structural, and electrical characterization of plasma oxidized thin aluminum layers for spin-tunnel junctions

\u3cp\u3eIn this paper we present results on how the plasma oxidation of a thin (1.5 nm) Al layer proceeds. Transmission electron microscopy of a Co/Al-oxide multilayer was used to determine the thickness of the oxides and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and elastic recoil detection were utilized in order to determine the oxygen content. The oxide was also characterized via ac impedance measurements. These measurements indicated that the oxidation of Al on Co occurs in three discrete steps.\u3c/p\u3

Modeling of low-pressure CVD processes

The spread in layer thickness within a series of wafers simultaneously covered in an LPCVD process will, in general,have two distinct causes. First, a spread across a wafer may occur if the deposition process is carried out in a diffusioncontrolled growth regime. Second, a gradual depletion in the flow direction may cause a spread within the length of the boatcarrying the wafers. The latter phenomenon can be approximated with a mathematical model. This approach reveals thatthe thickness spread within a batch will be acceptably small if the gas flow velocity exceeds a certain value, determined bythe batch and wafer size, and also by the apparent order of the kinetics of the LPCVD process

Lightly N\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO nitrided dielectrics grown in a conventional furnace for E\u3csup\u3e2\u3c/sup\u3ePROM and 0.25 μm CMOS

\u3cp\u3eFor deep-submicron CMOS transistors and FLOTOX E\u3csup\u3e2\u3c/sup\u3ePROM devices a considerable improvement in reliability and performance can be achieved when nitrided dielectrics are used. We developed an N\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO nitridation technology for a conventional furnace. Oxidation and nitridation are done in one run with a two-step and low-thermal budget processing to grow a dielectric layer with a thickness of 6-10 nm.\u3c/p\u3

Reaction Mechanisms in Laser-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition of Microstructures

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