Fabrication of giant magneto resistance sensing devices with vertically grown <inline-formula><math display="inline" overflow="scroll"><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">Co</mi><mo>∕</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Cu</mi></mrow></math></inline-formula> nanowires on a substrate

Abstract

We describe the fabrication and analysis of a giant magneto resistance (GMR) sensing device with multilayered magnetic nanowires containing alternating ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic layers on a silicon substrate. Multilayered nanowires with Co and Cu layers were vertically grown using pulsed electrochemical deposition to control the periodic structure of nanolayers in a nanopore template. Lithography-assisted template bonding (LATB) was applied to attach a polymer nanopore membrane and grow nanowires on silicon and polyimide substrates. For magnetic field sensing, the multilayered nanowires were electrically connected to top and bottom electrodes by overgrowing nanowires, and low contact resistance values of GMR sensing devices were achieved. The GMR effect was measured with magnetic field changes perpendicular and parallel to the axis of the nanowires. This simple fabrication process is highly favorable for the development of nanoscale electronics with magnetic nanowires at low cost and would offer large design flexibility.