摘要:
A method for forming a top spin-valve SyAP GMR read sensor having a novel conductive lead overlay configuration and the sensor so formed. The lead overlay electrically contacts the sensor at a position within the SyAP pinned layer, thus simultaneously assuring improved electrical contact and destroying the GMR properties of the sensor at the junction to improve the definition of the sensor track width.
摘要:
A method for forming a top spin-valve SyAP GMR read sensor having a novel conductive lead overlay configuration and the sensor so formed. The lead overlay electrically contacts the sensor at a position within the SyAP pinned layer, thus simultaneously assuring improved electrical contact and destroying the GMR properties of the sensor at the junction to improve the definition of the sensor track width.
摘要:
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. As a result of their structure and the method of their fabrication, these elements have higher GMR ratios and lower resistances than elements of the prior art.
摘要:
A method for forming a laminated shield to improve the stability and performance of an MR read head and the MR read head formed using that shield. The shield consists of two layers of ferromagnetic material separated by a layer of ruthenium, allowing the ferromagnetic layers to form an antiferromagnetic configuration by means of a quantum mechanical exchange interaction. The antiferromagnetic configuration has a stable domain structure and a magnetization that forms closed loops around the shield edges thereby reducing noise in the readback signal and reducing disturbances to the magnetic state of the sensor element.
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.
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:
A method for forming top and bottom spin valve sensors and the sensors so formed, the sensors having a strongly coupled SyAP pinned layer and an ultra-thin antiferromagnetic pinning layer. The two strongly coupled ferromagnetic layers comprising the SyAP pinned layer in the top valve configuration are separated by a Ru spacer layer approximately 3 angstroms thick, while the two layers in the bottom spin valve configuration are separated by a Rh spacer layer approximately 5 angstroms thick. This allows the use of an ultra thin MnPt antiferromagnetic pinning layer of thickness between approximately 80 and approximately 150 angstroms. The sensor structure produced thereby is suitable for high density applications.
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:
A spin valve structure and a method for manufacturing it are described. The spin valve uses a modified pinned layer that consists of two cobalt iron layers separated by a layer of either ruthenium, iridium, or rhodium. A key feature of the invention is that this spacer layer is significantly thinner (typically 3-4 Angstroms) than similar layers in prior art structures. Normally, when such thin spacer layers are used, annealing fields in excess of 20,000 Oersted are needed to cause the two cobalt iron layers to become antiparallel. The present invention, however, teaches that much lower annealing fields (spanning a limited range) may be used with equal effect. The result is that a very high internal pinning field is created giving devices of this type greater pinned layer stability and reduced pinning reversal. These devices also exhibits a minimum amount of open looping in their hysteresis curves.
摘要:
A spin valve structure, and method for manufacturing it, are described. The valve is subject to only small bias point shifts by sense current fields while at the same time has good GMR characteristics. This is achieved by introducing a layer of about 15 Angstroms of ruthenium between the seed layer and the free layer. This acts as an effective bias control layer with the added benefit of providing interfaces (to both the seed and the free layer) that are highly favorable to specular reflection of the conduction electrons. The HCP crystal structure of this ruthenium layer also improves the crystalline quality of the free layer thereby improving its performance with respect to the GMR ratio.