149 results about "Heusler compound" patented technology

The CPPGMR element of the present invention has an orientation layer 12 formed on a substrate 11 to texture a Heusler alloy into a (100) direction, an underlying layer 13 that is an electrode for magneto-resistance measurement stacked on the orientation layer 12, a lower ferromagnetic layer 14 and an upper ferromagnetic layer 16 each stacked on the underlying layer 13 and made of a Heusler alloy, a spacer layer 15 sandwiched between the lower ferromagnetic layers 14 and the upper ferromagnetic layers 16, and a cap layer 17 stacked on the upper ferromagnetic layer 16 for surface-protection. This manner makes it possible to provide, inexpensively, an element using a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magneto-resistance effect (CPPGMR) of a thin film having a trilayered structure of a ferromagnetic metal / a nonmagnetic metal / a ferromagnetic metal, thereby showing excellent performances.

A giant magnetoresistive spin valve sensor is provided in which first and second ferromagnetic layers comprise a Heusler alloy. A non-ferromagnetic spacer layer is positioned between the first and second ferromagnetic layers. The non-magnetic spacer layer has an energy band which is similar to the energy bands of the Heusler alloy of the first and second ferromagnetic layers to allow a giant magnetoresistive effect to occur.

The invention provides a method for preparing high-performance Half-Heusler block thermoelectric materials at ultrahigh speed and low cost. The method particularly includes the steps that firstly, according to the general formula ABX of Half-Heusler compounds, powder A, powder B and powder X are weighed at the chemical stoichiometric ratio of 1:1:1, used as raw materials and uniformly mixed, and then an reactant is acquired; secondly, the reactant generates a combustion synthesis reaction, and cooling or quenching is conducted after the reaction is finished; thirdly, a product acquired through the second step is ground into fine powder, then PAS is conducted, and then the high-performance Half-Heusler block thermoelectric materials are acquired. According to the method, by the combination of the combustion synthesis reaction with the PAS process, the high-performance Half-Heusler block thermoelectric materials can be prepared within 15 min, and the method has the advantages that preparation time is short, energy consumption is low, the process is simple, the requirement for equipment is low, repeatability is good, and the method is suitable for large-scale production.

A magnetoresistive material with two metallic magnetic phases. The material exhibits the giant magnetoresistance effect (GMR). A first phase of the material includes a matrix of an electrically conductive ferromagnetic transition metal or an alloy thereof. A second precipitate phase exhibits ferromagnetic behavior when precipitated into the matrix and is antiferromagnetically exchange coupled to the first phase. The second precipitate phase can be electrically conductive rare earth pnictide or can be a Heusler alloy. A method of manufacturing magnetoresistive materials according to the present invention employs facing targets magnetron sputtering. The invention also includes a method of detecting magnetic field strength by providing a read head including a portion of one of the magnetoresistive materials according to the invention, exposing the read head to the magnetic field of a magnetic recording medium, sensing electrical resistivity of the portion of material associated with the magnetic field of the magnetic recording medium, and converting the electrical resistivity into a signal which is indicative of the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field associated with the magnetic recording medium. A digital magnetic recording system, according to the present invention, is adapted for use with a magnetic recording medium having a characteristic coercive force and a plurality of stored bits thereon. The bits are stored by magnetic field strength levels of a magnetic field associated with the medium. The system can include a conventional write head and a controller. The system can also include a read head including a portion of magnetoresistive material according to the present invention which is located in proximity to the medium and a suitable resistivity sensor.

To provide a key monocrystalline magnetoresistance element necessary for accomplishing mass production and cost reduction for applying a monocrystalline giant magnetoresistance element using a Heusler alloy to practical devices. A monocrystalline magnetoresistance element of the present invention includes a silicon substrate 11, a base layer 12 having a B2 structure laminated on the silicon substrate 11, a first non-magnetic layer 13 laminated on the base layer 12 having a B2 structure, and a giant magnetoresistance effect layer 17 having at least one laminate layer including a lower ferromagnetic layer 14, an upper ferromagnetic layer 16, and a second non-magnetic layer 15 disposed between the lower ferromagnetic layer 14 and the upper ferromagnetic layer 16.

A stack includes a crystalline MgO layer, crystalline Heusler alloy layer, and amorphous Heusler alloy layer. The crystalline Heusler alloy layer is provided on the MgO layer. The amorphous Heusler alloy layer is provided on the crystalline Heusler alloy layer.

A magneto-resistance element according to the present invention has a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed; a free layer whose magnetization direction varies in accordance with an external magnetic field; and a nonmagnetic spacer layer that is arranged between the pinned layer and the free layer, at least the pinned layer or the free layer includes a layer having Heusler alloy represented by composition formula X2YZ (where X is a precious metal element, Y is a transition metal of Mn, V, or Ti group, Z is an element from group III to group V), and a part of composition X is replaced with Co, and an atomic composition ratio of Co in composition X is from 0.5 to 0.85.