By INESC Microssistemas e Nanotecnologias
Advanced magnetoresistive devices and sensors for industrial, life-science, and frontier applications, backed by 30+ years of expertise. INESC MN's Spintronics and Magnetic Biosensors group has well-established line of research with more than 30 years of experience and recognized valences in the development of magnetoresistive devices ( Tunnel magnetoresistance, Giant magnetoresistance an Anisotropic Magnetoresistance), comprising thin film stack engineering, deposition, micro and nano fabrication, testing, and monolithic (on CMOS) or hybrid integration. Applications now concentrate on sensor development for industrial applications (magnetic field, current, position sensors, tactile), as well as life-sciences applications (biomedical, bioengineering, environmental, food and agriculture, biodefense fields) and tape recording Thin films and devices for frontiers applications as memristors and photonics are also developed. Research Topics Magnetoresistive sensors (TMR, GMR, AMR) - Magnetoresistive sensors (TMR, GMR, AMR) - Scanners (Non-destructive testing, imaging) - CMOS wafer integration Materials and Thin Films - Advanced spintronics stacks - Multilayer Thin Films - Memristor films and devices Scientific Areas Exchange bias stacks, and setting procedures (field, thermal, SOT setting procedures) - Ion Beam deposition and modification of surfaces - Si, glass, polymer and ceramic substrates Biological and Biomedical Platforms - Magnetoresistive biochips (static and dynamic detection assays) - Magnetic separation and trapping - Microfluidic modules and interfaces Technical Expertise - Advanced spintronic stack deposition on 200mm wafers (TMR, GMR, AMR stacks) - Perpendicular anisotropy TMR stacks for MRAM or STT/SOT applications - Deposition techniques (Ion beam deposition, Xe, Ar, O2, N2 brams and Physical Vapour deposition, Ar, Xe): both up to 200mm wafer diameters; deposition under magnetic fields (IBD) - Ion Beam milling and surface modification (200mm and 150mm substrates) - Magnetic flux guide materials (sputtered CoZrNb, up to 2um thick) - Passivation layers (AlOx-PVD, IBD), PECVD SiOx and SiNx - Metallization (soft etch/TiWN/AlSiCu/TiWN) - Alternative metal layers (Au, Ru, W, Pt…) - Alternative oxide layers (TaOx, HfOx, others) - Magnetoresistide device micro (optical lithography) and nano (e-beam lithography) fabrication and characterization - Magnetic characterization: vibrating sample magnetometry (Microsense EZ7, up to 2T, oven option (up to 400C in Ar flow). Backup DMS VSM - Magnetoresistive device characterization (low field, 140Oe, medium field 400 Oe, high field 2kOe setups). Hot plate available for magnetoresistive device characterization up to 240C. - Transfer curve mapping on dull 200mm wafer - Non destructive testing setup with TMR heads - Noise characterization in magnetoresistive devices - Current imaging mapping with TMR heads (Neocera mapping tool) - Spin valve base static biosensing platformg mapping with TMR heads (Neocera mapping tool) - Spin valve based dynamic biosensing platform (cytometer)
