Appeal No. 1999-2839
Application 08/824,716
two insulating layers 20' and 40' are formed between Gallagher’s
first and second magnetic metal layers, layers 10 and 30,
respectively, as claimed by Appellants. Furthermore, having
closely examined Gallagher’s Figure 4A and 4B, shown supra, we
are unable to discern any path that passes from the lower
magnetic layer 10 through the insulating layers 20 and 40 to the
upper magnetic layer 30.
Addressing now the claim requirement that the first
insulating layer in contact with the second magnetic layer be
less that 1x10 m , we note that Gallagher teaches a contact-9 2
area of 2 Fm by 8 Fm. Gallagher at column 6, lines 59-60
references the top junction electrode 30 stating, “This
electrode was 8 Fm long in the easy axis direction and 2 Fm wide
in the hard axis direction.” We calculate this area to be 16
2 -9 2
Fm , at least two orders of magnitude greater than 1x10 m .
Again, at column 5, lines 1-4, Gallagher discloses “The MTJ top
electrode stack 30 is an 8 nm Co/20 nm Pt stack (layers 32 and
34, respectively) having a cross-sectional area of a few Fm or2
less.” These two Gallagher passages clearly indicate that
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