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Low-resistivity 10 nm diameter magnetic sensors
Mazin M Maqableh1, Xiaobo Huang, Sang-Yeob Sung
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Nano Letters
|July 13, 2012
Summary
Metallic wires with 5.4 μΩ·cm resistivity were developed for future low-resistance interconnections. These wires enabled facile fabrication of Co/Cu/Co magnetic sensors with 19% magnetoresistance and significantly lower resistances than conventional methods.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Low electrical resistance is crucial for advanced interconnections to mitigate issues like heating, electromigration, and power consumption.
- Conventional methods for fabricating nanoscale interconnections face limitations in achieving desired low resistance and facile production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop metallic wires with ultra-low resistivity for future electronic interconnections.
- To demonstrate the application of these novel wires in fabricating high-performance magnetic sensors.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of resistivities in 10-nm-diameter metallic wires.
- Synthesis of Co/Cu/Co magnetic sensors using in situ templated chemical growth.
- Comparison of fabricated sensors with conventional lithographically produced magnetic tunnel junction sensors.
Main Results:
- Achieved resistivities of 5.4 μΩ·cm in 10-nm-diameter metallic wires.
- Synthesized Co/Cu/Co magnetic sensors exhibiting 20-30 Ω resistance and 19% magnetoresistance.
- Demonstrated over two orders of magnitude lower resistance in fabricated sensors compared to conventional ones due to smooth sidewalls.
Conclusions:
- The developed metallic wires offer a promising solution for low-resistance interconnections.
- In situ templated chemical growth provides a facile fabrication route for high-performance magnetic sensors with superior low resistance.
- These findings pave the way for more efficient and reliable electronic devices.
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