| 摘要 |
The invention provides a process for the formation of a sensor site of a magnetoresistive device in which the first ferromagnetic layer and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer are formed in order, then surface treatment is applied to the surface of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and thereafter the second ferromagnetic layer is formed on the thus treated surface of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer. The surface treatment is implemented by a method of letting a modification element hit right on the surface of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer using a vacuum. The nonmagnetic intermediate layer is composed mainly of an oxide or nitride, and the modification element is a low-melting element having a melting point of 500° C. or lower. It is thus possible to reduce spin scattering while reducing oxidization or nitriding of the surfaces of the ferromagnetic layers used for the sensor site, thereby achieving high MR change rates. There is also a limited dispersion of the MR change rate with extremely improved reliability.
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