TMR SENSOR HAVING MAGNESIUM/MAGNESIUM OXIDE TUNNEL BARRIER

摘要

A tunnel junction magnetoresistive sensor having improved TMR performance (dR/R) and improved area resistance. The sensor includes a barrier layer sandwiched between a magnetic pinned layer structure and a magnetic free layer structure. The barrier layer includes a thin layer of Mg and a layer of MgO_x. The barrier layer could also include a second thin layer of Mg such that the MgO_x layer is sandwiched between the first and second Mg layers.