METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A SYNTHETIC ANTI-FERROMAGNET STRUCTURE WITH IMPROVED THERMAL STABILITY

摘要

A synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure (102) includes a bottom ferromagnetic layer (210), a coupling layer (206) formed over the bottom ferromagnetic layer, and a top ferromagnetic layer (202) formed over the coupling layer. One of the top and bottom ferromagnetic layers comprises an amorphous alloy characterized by (Co100-aFea)100-zBz, where a is less than approximately 10 atomic percent, and z is greater than approximately 20 atomic percent. In general, a magnetic device includes at least one magnetic layer comprising an amorphous CoFeB alloy characterized by (Co100-aFea)100zBz, where a is less than approximately 10 atomic percent, and z is greater than approximately 20 atomic percent.