摘要:
A patterned, synthetic, longitudinally exchange biased GMR sensor is provided which has a narrow effective trackwidth and reduced side reading. The advantageous properties of the sensor are obtained by satisfying a novel relationship between the magnetizations (M) of the ferromagnetic free layer (F1) and the ferromagnetic biasing layer (F2) which enables the optimal thicknesses of those layers to be determined for a wide range of ferromagnetic materials and exchange coupling materials. The relationship to be satisfied is MF2/MF1=(Js+Jex)/Js, where Js is the synthetic coupling energy between F1 and F2 and Jex is the exchange energy between F2 and an overlaying antiferromagnetic pinning layer. An alternative embodiment omits the overlaying antiferromagnetic pinning layer which causes the relationship to become MF2/MF1=1.
摘要:
Nano-oxide based current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor stacks are provided, together with methods for forming such stacks. Such stacks have increased resistance and enhanced magnetoresistive properties relative to CPP stacks made entirely of metallic layers. Said enhanced properties are provided by the insertion of magnetic nano-oxide layers between ferromagnetic layers and non-magnetic spacer layers, whereby said nano-oxide layers increase resistance and exhibit spin filtering properties. CPP sensor stacks of various types are provided, all having nano-oxide layers formed therein, including the spin-valve type and the synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer spin-valve type. Said stacks can also be formed upon each other to provide laminated stacks of different types.
摘要:
Nano-oxide based current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor stacks are provided, together with methods for forming such stacks. Such stacks have increased resistance and enhanced magnetoresistive properties relative to CPP stacks made entirely of metallic layers. Said enhanced properties are provided by the insertion of magnetic nano-oxide layers between ferromagnetic layers and non-magnetic spacer layers, whereby said nano-oxide layers increase resistance and exhibit spin filtering properties. CPP sensor stacks of various types are provided, all having nano-oxide layers formed therein, including the spin-valve type and the synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer spin-valve type. Said stacks can also be formed upon each other to provide laminated stacks of different types.
摘要:
A GMR sensor comprising a sensor element having a spin valve configuration with a synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer and further comprising a ferromagnetic free layer biased by synthetic exchange biasing in a direction canted relative to the air bearing surface plane of the sensor. The resulting GMR sensor has a stable free layer domain structure, stable bias point and a wide dynamic range.
摘要:
Patterned, longitudinally and transversely antiferromagnetically exchange biased GMR sensors are provided which have narrow effective trackwidths and reduced side reading. The exchange biasing significantly reduces signals produced by the portion of the ferromagnetic free layer that is underneath the conducting leads while still providing a strong pinning field to maintain sensor stability. In the case of the transversely biased sensor, the magnetization of the free and biasing layers in the same direction as the pinned layer simplifies the fabrication process and permits the formation of thinner leads by eliminating the necessity for current shunting.
摘要:
Nano-oxide based current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor stacks are provided, together with methods for forming such stacks. Such stacks have increased resistance and enhanced magnetoresistive properties relative to CPP stacks made entirely of metallic layers. Said enhanced properties are provided by the insertion of magnetic nano-oxide layers between ferromagnetic layers and non-magnetic spacer layers, whereby said nano-oxide layers increase resistance and exhibit spin filtering properties. CPP sensor stacks of various types are provided, all having nano-oxide layers formed therein, including the spin-valve type and the synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer spin-valve type. Said stacks can also be formed upon each other to provide laminated stacks of different types.
摘要:
Replacing ruthenium with rhodium as the AFM coupling layer in a synthetically pinned CPP GMR structure enables the AP1/AP2 thicknesses to be increased. This results in improved stability and allows the free layer and AFM layer thicknesses to be decreased, leading to an overall improvement in the device performance. Another key advantage of this structure is that the magnetic annealing requirements (to establish antiparallelism between AP1 and AP2) can be significantly relaxed.
摘要:
A method for forming an NiCr seed layer based bottom spin valve sensor element having a synthetic antiferromagnet pinned (SyAP) layer and a capping layer comprising either a single specularly reflecting nano-oxide layer (NOL) or a bi-layer comprising a non-metallic layer and a specularly reflecting nano-oxide layer and the sensor element so formed. The method of producing these sensor elements provides elements having higher GMR ratios and lower resistances than elements of the prior art.
摘要:
Pinned layers that are synthetically, rather than directly, pinned are desirable for a Current Perpendicular to Plane Spin Valve structure because they are more stable. However, this comes at the cost or reduced performance. The present invention solves this problem by modifying the composition of AP2. AP2 is the antiparallel layer that contacts the antiferromagnetic layer (AP1 being in contact with the pinned layer). Said modification comprises the addition of chromium or vanadium to AP2. Examples of alloys suitable for use in AP2 include NiFeCr, NiCr, CoCr, CoFeCr, and CoFeV. Additionally, the ruthenium layer normally used to effect antiferromagnetic coupling between AP1 and AP2, is replaced by a layer of chromium. The resulting structure exhibits the stability of the synthetic pin unit and the performance of the direct pin unit.
摘要:
A method for forming a bottom spin valve sensor having a synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned (SyAP) layer, antiferromagnetically coupled to a pinning layer, in which one of the layers of the SyAP is formed as a three layer lamination that contains a specularly reflecting oxide layer of FeTaO. The sensor formed according to this method has an extremely high GMR ratio and exhibits good pinning strength.