High yield Cu-Co CPP GMR multilayer sensors

We have fabricated and tested GMR magnetic flux sensors that operate in the CPP mode. This work is a continuation of the ultra-high density magnetic sensor research introduced at INTERMAG 96. We have made two significant modifications to the process sequence. First, contact to the sensor is made through a metal conduit deposited in situ with the multilayers. This deposition replaces electroplating. This configuration ensures a good electrical interface between the top of multilayer stack and the top contact, and a continuous, conductive current path to the sensor. The consequences of this modification are an increase in yield of operational devices to ≥90% per wafer and a significant reduction of the device resistance to ≤560 milliohms and of the uniformity of the device resistance to ≤3%. Second, the as-deposited multilayer structure has been changed from [Cu 30 angstrom/Co 20 angstrom]18 (third peak) to [Cu 20.5 angstrom/Co 12 angstrom]30 (second peak) to increase the CPP and CIP responses. The sheet film second peak CIP GMR response is 18% and the sensitivity is 0.08 %/Oe. The sheet film third peak CIP GMR response is 8% and the sensitivity is 0. 05 %/Oe. The second peak CPP GMR response averaged over twenty devices on a four inch silicon substrate is 28% ± 6%. The response decreases radially from the substrate center. The average response at the center of the substrate is 33% ± 4%. The average second peak CPP sensitivity is 0.09 %/Oe ± 0.02 %/Oe. The best second peak CPP response from a single device is 39%. The sensitivity of that device is 0.13 %/Oe. The third peak CPP GMR response is approximately 14 %. The third peak CPP response sensitivity is 0.07 %/Oe. 6 refs., 3 figs