Method for forming a compound magnetic thin film

Abstract

A magnetoresistive element includes a pair of magnetic layers sandwiching an intermediate layer, at least one of the magnetic layers includes an oxide ferrite having a plane orientation with a (100), (110) or (111) plane. The oxide can be formed by sputtering with an oxide target while applying a bias voltage to a substrate including a plane on which the oxide ferrite is to be formed so as to adjust the amount of oxygen supplied to the oxide ferrite from the target. One of the magnetic layers is a pinned magnetic layer, and the pinned magnetic layer includes at least one non-magnetic film and magnetic films sandwiching the non-magnetic film. The magnetic films can be coupled with one another by magnetostatic coupling or antiferromagnetic coupling, generating negative magnetic coupling. Magnetic shifts are reduced by generating negative coupling. This element also has an improved thermal resistance.

1 - 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element comprising an intermediate layer and a pair of magnetic layers sandwiching the intermediate layer, wherein at least one of the magnetic layers includes an oxide ferrite; the method comprising: 
 forming the oxide ferrite by sputtering with an oxide target while applying a bias voltage to a substrate including a plane on which the oxide ferrite is to be formed so as to adjust an amount of oxygen supplied to the oxide ferrite from the oxide target,    wherein the oxide target comprises a compound comprising Fe and O.    
   
   
       26 . The method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive element according to  claim 25 , wherein the applied bias voltage is a high-frequency bias voltage.  
   
   
       27 . The method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive element according to  claim 25 , wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature of at least 250° C. and at most 700° C.  
   
   
       28 - 30 . (canceled)