Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element, including a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer, wherein the step of forming the tunnel barrier layer includes a deposition step of depositing a metal film on top of a substrate, and an oxidation step of subjecting the metal film to an oxidation process. The oxidation step includes holding the substrate having Mg formed thereon, on a substrate holder in a processing container in which the oxidation process is performed, supplying an oxygen gas to the substrate by introducing the oxygen gas into the processing container, at a temperature at which Mg does not sublime, and heating the substrate after the introduction of the oxygen gas.

Abstract: A method includes: a first film formation process forming a film by sputtering a first insulator target when a projection plane of the first insulator target on a plane including a front face of a substrate is in a first state; and a second film formation process forming a film by sputtering a second insulator target when a projection plane of the second insulator target formed on the plane including the front face of the substrate is in a second state different from the first state. The second film formation process provides the insulating film having a second characteristic variation having opposite tendency to a first characteristic variation in the film provided by the first film formation process, the first characteristic variation occurring from a center portion to a peripheral portion of the substrate, the second characteristic variation occurring at least partly from the center portion to the peripheral portion.

Abstract: This invention provides a manufacturing method of a magnetoresistive effect element having a higher MR ratio than a conventional element. A manufacturing method of a magnetoresistive effect element of an embodiment of the invention includes: a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer on a substrate, on a surface of which one of a magnetization free layer and a magnetization fixed layer is formed; a step of cooling the substrate after the step of forming a tunnel barrier layer; a step of forming an other one of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization fixed layer on the tunnel barrier layer after the step of cooling; and a step of raising a temperature of the substrate after the step of forming the other one of the magnetization free layer and the magnetization fixed layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonvolatile memory element, in a nonvolatile memory element having a variable resistance layer possessing a stacked structure, in which the variable resistance layer has a high resistance change ratio, and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory element according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a variable resistance layer which is interposed between the first electrode and second electrode and in which the resistance value changes into at least two different resistance states. The variable resistance layer possesses a stacked structure having a first metal oxide layer containing Hf and O, and a second metal oxide layer that is provided between the first metal oxide layer and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and contains Al and O.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonvolatile memory element, in a nonvolatile memory element having a variable resistance layer possessing a stacked structure, in which the variable resistance layer has a high resistance change ratio, and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory element according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a variable resistance layer which is interposed between the first electrode and second electrode and in which the resistance value changes into at least two different resistance states. The variable resistance layer possesses a stacked structure having a first metal oxide layer containing Hf and O, and a second metal oxide layer that is provided between the first metal oxide layer and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and contains Al and O.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element, including a step of forming a tunnel barrier layer, wherein the step of forming the tunnel barrier layer includes a deposition step of depositing a metal film on top of a substrate, and an oxidation step of subjecting the metal film to an oxidation process. The oxidation step includes holding the substrate having Mg formed thereon, on a substrate holder in a processing container in which the oxidation process is performed, supplying an oxygen gas to the substrate by introducing the oxygen gas into the processing container, at a temperature at which Mg does not sublime, and heating the substrate after the introduction of the oxygen gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which suppress a film quality change caused by a temperature variation in continuous substrate processing. An embodiment of the present invention performs reactive sputtering while adjusting a flow rate of reactive gas according to the temperature of a constituent member facing a sputtering space. Specifically, a temperature sensor is provided on a shield and the flow rate is adjusted according to the temperature. Thereby, even when a degassing amount of a film adhering to the shield changes, a partial pressure of reactive gas can be set to a predetermined value. For a resistance change layer constituting a ReRAM, a perovskite material such as PrCaMn03 (PCMO), LaSrMnO3 (LSMO), and GdBaCoxOy (GBCO), a two-element type transition metal oxide material which has a composition shifted from a stoichiometric one, such as nickel oxide (NiO), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and the like are used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which suppress a film quality change caused by a temperature variation in continuous substrate processing. An embodiment of the present invention performs reactive sputtering while adjusting a flow rate of reactive gas according to the temperature of a constituent member facing a sputtering space. Specifically, a temperature sensor is provided on a shield and the flow rate is adjusted according to the temperature. Thereby, even when a degassing amount of a film adhering to the shield changes, a partial pressure of reactive gas can be set to a predetermined value. For a resistance change layer constituting a ReRAM, a perovskite material such as PrCaMnO3 (PCMO), LaSrMnO3 (LSMO), and GdBaCoxOy (GBCO), a two-element type transition metal oxide material which has a composition shifted from a stoichiometric one, such as nickel oxide (NiO), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and the like are used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonvolatile memory element, in a nonvolatile memory element having a variable resistance layer possessing a stacked structure, in which the variable resistance layer has a high resistance change ratio, and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory element according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a variable resistance layer which is interposed between the first electrode and second electrode and in which the resistance value changes into at least two different resistance states. The variable resistance layer possesses a stacked structure having a first metal oxide layer containing Hf and O, and a second metal oxide layer that is provided between the first metal oxide layer and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and contains Al and O.

Abstract: In a variable resistance nonvolatile storage element, an electrode suitable for a variable resistance operation and formed of a metallic nitride layer containing Ti and N is provided. In a nonvolatile storage device including: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a variable resistance layer which is sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode and in which a resistance value changes to two different resistance states, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an electrode including a metallic nitride layer containing at least Ti and N, and a mole ratio (N/Ti ratio) between Ti and N in at least a part of the metallic nitride layer, the part being in contact with the variable resistance layer is 1.15 or more and a film density is 4.7 g/cc or more.

Abstract: In a variable resistance nonvolatile storage element, an electrode suitable for a variable resistance operation and formed of a metallic nitride layer containing Ti and N is provided. In a nonvolatile storage device including: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a variable resistance layer which is sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode and in which a resistance value changes to two different resistance states, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an electrode including a metallic nitride layer containing at least Ti and N, and a mole ratio (N/Ti ratio) between Ti and N in at least a part of the metallic nitride layer, the part being in contact with the variable resistance layer is 1.15 or more and a film density is 4.7 g/cc or more.

Abstract: MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes in essence a ferromagnetic reference layer, a MgO tunnel barrier and a ferromagnetic free layer. The microstructure of MgO tunnel barrier, which is prepared by the metallic Mg deposition followed by the oxidation process or reactive sputtering, is amorphous or microcrystalline with poor (001) out-of-plane texture. In the present invention at least only the ferromagnetic reference layer or both of the ferromagnetic reference and free layer is proposed to be bi-layer structure having a crystalline preferred grain growth promotion (PGGP) seed layer adjacent to the tunnel barrier. This crystalline PGGP seed layer induces the crystallization and the preferred grain growth of the MgO tunnel barrier upon post-deposition annealing.

Abstract: The sunlight collection system is provided with a reflecting mirror which is placed on the surface of the ground to reflect sunlight, a light receiving means which is disposed above the surface of the ground and has an incident portion into which the sunlight reflected by the reflecting mirror is made incident, light amount sensors which are mounted at least at two locations facing each other at an outer edge of the incident portion of the light receiving means, a turning mechanism which allows the reflecting mirror to turn around at least one axis, and a direction control unit which obtains light amounts detected respectively by the light amount sensors that face each other, while allowing the reflecting mirror to turn by driving the turning mechanism, thereby adjusting an angle of the reflecting mirror on the basis of the light amounts.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus that can efficiently laminate thin films in a short time without lowering throughputs, and a manufacturing method of an electronic device. The sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rotatable substrate holder, four target holders obliquely arranged with respect to the substrate holder, and a first shutter and a second shutter that each are provided between the target holders and the substrate holder and have two holes arranged two-fold symmetrical with respect to a rotational axis X. Two of the four target holders are first group target holders arranged two-fold symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis X, and the other two target holders are second group target holders arranged between the first group target holders and two-fold symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis X.

Abstract: MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes in essence a ferromagnetic reference layer, a MgO tunnel barrier and a ferromagnetic free layer. The microstructure of MgO tunnel barrier, which is prepared by the metallic Mg deposition followed by the oxidation process or reactive sputtering, is amorphous or microcrystalline with poor (001) out-of-plane texture. In the present invention at least only the ferromagnetic reference layer or both of the ferromagnetic reference and free layer is proposed to be bi-layer structure having a crystalline preferred grain growth promotion (PGGP) seed layer adjacent to the tunnel barrier. This crystalline PGGP seed layer induces the crystallization and the preferred grain growth of the MgO tunnel barrier upon post-deposition annealing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which suppress a film quality change caused by a temperature variation in continuous substrate processing. An embodiment of the present invention performs reactive sputtering while adjusting a flow rate of reactive gas according to the temperature of a constituent member facing a sputtering space. Specifically, a temperature sensor is provided on a shield and the flow rate is adjusted according to the temperature. Thereby, even when a degassing amount of a film adhering to the shield changes, a partial pressure of reactive gas can be set to a predetermined value. For a resistance change layer constituting a ReRAM, a perovskite material such as PrCaMn03 (PCMO), LaSrMnO3 (LSMO), and GdBaCoxOy (GBCO), a two-element type transition metal oxide material which has a composition shifted from a stoichiometric one, such as nickel oxide (NiO), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and the like are used.

Abstract: A method and system which prevents starting-up problems in plural magnetic disk storage devices included in a disk array system during restart following halt of the magnetic disk storage devices after long term operation. The disk array system includes the plural magnetic disk storage devices, a microprocessor unit (MPU) which controls the magnetic disk storage devices, a control memory, a parity calculator, and cache memory. The control memory contains a operation time control table in which a tolerable continuous operation time Ti and a halt time Ts are stored. Each of the magnetic disk storage devices is intentionally stopped individually for the halt time Ts at time interval of the tolerable continuous operation time Ti.

Abstract: A method and system which prevents starting-up problems in plural magnetic disk storage devices included in a disk array system during restart following halt of the magnetic disk storage devices after long term operation. The disk array system includes the plural magnetic disk storage devices, a microprocessor unit (MPU) which controls the magnetic disk storage devices, a control memory, a parity calculator, and cache memory. The control memory contains a operation time control table in which a tolerable continuous operation time Ti and a halt time Ts are stored. Each of the magnetic disk storage devices is intentionally stopped individually for the halt time Ts at time interval of the tolerable continuous operation time Ti.

Abstract: A magnetic disc apparatus includes a casing for defining a sealed space, a magnetic disc disposed within the space, a spindle to which the magnetic disc is fixed, a motor for rotating the spindle, a flying head slider for writing and/or reading information in and/or from the magnetic disc and a carriage for translating the flying head slider. The magnetic disc apparatus incorporates an organic chemical compound capable of suppressing siloxane from being chemically changed to silicon oxide. The organic chemical compound contains at least one of monoalkyl-substituted benzene, dialkyl-substituted benzene, trialkyl-substituted benzene, fatty acid, fatty ester, alkyl ester of aromatic acid, thiazoles and phenols.