摘要:
A method for constructing a magnetoresistive sensor using an etch mask that is resistant to the material removal process used to define the sensor width and stripe height. The method may include the use of a Ta etch mask formed under a photoresist mask, and the use of an ion milling process to define the sensor. The etch mask remains substantially intact after performing the ion milling and therefore is readily removed by a later CMP process. The etch mask layer is also very resistant to high temperatures such as those used in a desired atomic layer deposition of alumina, which is used to deposit conformal layers of alumina around the sensor.
摘要:
A method for fabricating magnetic side shields for an MR sensor of a magnetic head. Following the deposition of MR sensor layers, a first DLC layer is deposited. Milling mask layers are then deposited, and outer portions of the milling mask layers are removed such that a remaining central portion of the milling mask layers is formed having straight sidewalls and no undercuts. Outer portions of the sensor layers are then removed such that a relatively thick remaining central portion of the milling mask resides above the remaining sensor layers. A thin electrical insulation layer is deposited, followed by the deposition of magnetic side shields. A second DLC layer is deposited and the remaining mask layers are then removed utilizing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) liftoff step. Thereafter, the first DLC layer and the second DLC layer are removed and a second magnetic shield layer is then fabricated thereabove.
摘要:
A method for milling a structure. A single- or multi-layer resist having no undercut is added to a surface of a structure to be milled, the surface to be milled defining a plane. A milling process, such as ion milling, is performed. The milling process includes milling the structure at high incidence and milling the structure at razing incidence. The milling process can be performed only once, or repeated multiple times. High incidence can be defined as about 65 to about 90 degrees from the plane of the surface being milled. Razing incidence can be defined as about 0 to about 30 degrees from the plane of the surface being milled.
摘要:
A method for constructing a magnetoresistive sensor which eliminates all redeposited material (redep) from the sides of the sensor. The method involves forming a mask over a plurality of sensor layers, and then performing an ion mill at an angle that is nearly normal to the surface of the sensor layers. A second (glancing) ion mill is then performed at a larger angle with respect to the normal. The first ion mill may be 0-30 degrees with respect to normal, whereas the second ion mill can be 50-89 degrees with respect to normal. The first ion mill is performed with a larger bias voltage than the second ion mill. The higher bias voltage of the first ion mill provides a well collimated ion beam to form straight vertical side walls. The lower bias voltage of the second ion mill prevent damage to the sensor layers during the removal of redep from the sides of the sensor.
摘要:
A method for fabricating a read head sensor for a magnetic disk drive is presented. The method includes providing a layered wafer stack to be shaped, where the layered wafer stack includes a free layer, a barrier layer and a pinned layer. A single- or multi-layered photoresist mask is formed upon the layered wafer stack to be shaped. A material removal source is provided and used to perform a partial depth material removal within a partial depth material removal range which extends from the free layer to within the pinned layer to a partial depth material removal endpoint. In various embodiments, this depth endpoint lies at or within the barrier layer or within but not through the pinned layer.
摘要:
A method is disclosed for fabricating a read head for a magnetic disk drive having a read head sensor and a hard bias layer, where the read head has a shaped junction between the read head sensor and the hard bias layer. The method includes providing a layered wafer stack to be shaped. A single- or multi-layered photoresist mask having no undercut is deposited upon the layered wafer stack to be shaped. The layered wafer stack is shaped by the output of a milling source, where the shaping includes partial milling to within a partial milling range to form a shaped junction. A hard bias layer is then deposited which is in contact with the shaped junction of the wafer stack. A read head and a magnetic hard disk drive having a read head layer stack which has been partially milled are also disclosed.
摘要:
In a CPP MR device such as a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) device, shoulders that have a magnetic moment that is matched to the magnetic moments of the free layer extend between the free layer and the S2 shield to provide an electrical path from one shoulder, through the shield, to the other shoulder for dissipating edge charges. Thus, a CPP MR device may include a seed stack, a pinned stack on the seed stack, and a tunnel barrier on the pinned stack. A free stack may be on the tunnel barrier, and the free stack can include a free sublayer separated from a magnetic shield and a path for dissipating edge charges in the free stack through the magnetic shield.
摘要:
A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensor in which the free layer longitudinal biasing elements are coupled, without insulation, to the free layer outside of the MTJ stack to provide reliable non-shunting MTJ free layer stabilization without extremely thin dielectric layers. In one embodiment, hard magnetic (HM) layers are disposed in contact with the free layer outside of and separated from the MTJ stack active region by a thick dielectric layer. In another embodiment, antiferromagnetic (AFM) bias layers are disposed in contact with the free layer outside of and separated from the MTJ stack active region by a thick dielectric layer. In other embodiments, nonconductive HM layers are disposed either in contact with the free layer outside of the MTJ stack active region and/or in abutting contact with the MTJ stack active region.
摘要:
A magnetic head, comprising a read sensor formed in a central region, the read sensor including a free layer; an etch-stop layer formed over the free layer; and a capping layer formed over the free layer.
摘要:
A magnetic head is disclosed having a CPP read head which produces reduced cross-track interference. The CPP read head includes a read sensor, a first shield and a second shield. The second shield has side drapes having an edge portion adjacent to the read sensor. The side drapes include a plurality of laminated layers which discourages formation of closure domains at the edge portions, and thus maintaining the side drapes in a state of high magnetic permeability. The laminated layers each include a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic spacer layer. Also disclosed is an edge closed lamination structure.