A Sub-40nm Nanostructured La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 Planar Magnetic Memory

T. Arnal, M. Bibes, Ph. Lecoeur, B. Mercey, W. Prellier and A.M. Haghiri-Gosnet
Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale IEF/UMR8622, FR

Keywords: spintronics, manganite, nanolithography, MRAM

Abstract:
A single-step nanolithography planar process, which allows generating the core-element of a spin-polarized magnetic memory in the fully spin-polarized La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) manganite, is reported. Taking benefit of the proximity effects due to backscattered electrons, a conventional electron-beam patterning process at 30 KeV has been optimized to generate sub-50 nm-wide nanokinks in the magnetic microbridge. The best layout for the nanokinks, the electron beam patterning parameters and the results of the ion beam etching (IBE) for transferring these nanopatterns in the magnetic oxide are reported.

Nanotech 2004 Conference Technical Program Abstract