公开(公告)号：US20070253119A1

公开(公告)日：2007-11-01

申请号：US11380625

申请日：2006-04-27

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3932 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor has an antiparallel free (APF) structure as the free layer and a specific direction for the applied bias or sense current. The (APF) structure has a first free ferromagnetic (FL1), a second free ferromagnetic layer (FL2), and an antiparallel (AP) coupling (APC) layer that couples FL1 and FL2 together antiferromagnetically with the result that FL1 and FL2 have substantially antiparallel magnetization directions and rotate together in the presence of a magnetic field. The thicknesses of FL1 and FL2 are chosen to obtain the desired net free layer magnetic moment/area for the sensor, and the thickness of FL1 is preferably chosen to be greater than the spin-diffusion length of the electrons in the FL1 material to maximize the bulk spin-dependent scattering of electrons and thus maximize the sensor signal. The CPP sensor operates specifically with the conventional sense current (opposite the electron current) directed from the pinned ferromagnetic layer to the APF structure, which results in suppression of current-induced noise.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直平面（CPP）磁阻传感器具有作为自由层的反向平行自由（APF）结构和施加的偏置或感测电流的特定方向。 （APF）结构具有第一自由铁磁（FL1），第二自由铁磁层（FL2）和反FL-FL2与FL2耦合的反并联（AP）耦合（APC）层，其结果是FL1和FL2具有实质上 反平行磁化方向，并且在存在磁场的情况下一起旋转。 选择FL1和FL2的厚度以获得用于传感器的期望的净自由层磁矩/面积，并且FL1的厚度优选地选择为大于FL1材料中的电子的自旋扩散长度以使 电子的体自旋依赖散射，从而使传感器信号最大化。 CPP传感器与从钉扎铁磁层引导到APF结构的常规感测电流（与电子电流相反）特别地工作，这导致电流引起的噪声的抑制。

公开(公告)号：US20070097558A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-03

申请号：US11268275

申请日：2005-11-03

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat ,  Neil Smith

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/398 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3906

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane spin-valve (CPP-SV) magnetoresistive sensor has an insulating layer with at least one aperture that confines the flow of sense current through the active region. The apertures are located closer to the sensing edge of the sensor than to the back edge of the sensor. The aperture (or apertures) are patterned by e-beam lithography, which enables the number, size and location of the apertures to be precisely controlled. The insulating layer may be located inside the electrically conductive nonmagnetic spacer layer, or outside of the magnetically active layers of the spin-valve. More than one insulating layer may be included in the stack to define conductive current paths where the apertures of the insulating layers overlap. The apertures are filled with electrically conductive material, typically the same material as that used for the spacer layer.

摘要翻译： 电流 - 垂直于平面的自旋阀（CPP-SV）磁阻传感器具有绝缘层，其具有至少一个限制感应电流通过有源区域的孔径。 孔比传感器的后边缘更靠近传感器的感测边缘。 孔（或孔）通过电子束光刻被图案化，这使得能够精确地控制孔的数量，尺寸和位置。 绝缘层可以位于导电非磁性间隔层内部，或位于自旋阀的磁性有效层的外部。 堆叠中可以包括多于一个绝缘层，以限定绝缘层的孔重叠的导电电流路径。 孔被填充有导电材料，通常与用于间隔层的材料相同。

公开(公告)号：US20060221515A1

公开(公告)日：2006-10-05

申请号：US11177990

申请日：2005-07-07

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  James Nix ,  Stefan Maat ,  Ian McFadyen

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  James Nix ,  Stefan Maat ,  Ian McFadyen

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： H01F10/3272 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  H01F10/16 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F41/306 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： A magnetoresistive sensor having a self biased free layer. The free layer is constructed upon an underlayer that has been treated by a surface texturing process that configures the underlayer with an anisotropic roughness that induces a magnetic anisotropy in the free layer. The treated layer underlying the free layer can be a spacer layer sandwiched between the free layer and pinned layer or can be a separate underlayer formed opposite the spacer layer. Alternatively, the texturing of an underlayer can be used to induce a magnetic anisotropy in a bias layer that is separated from the free layer by an orthogonal coupling layer. This self biasing of the free layer induced by texturing can also be used in conjunction with biasing from a hard-bias structure.

摘要翻译： 具有自偏置自由层的磁阻传感器。 自由层被构造在已经通过表面纹理化处理处理的底层上，该表面构造过程用在各自自由层中引起磁各向异性的各向异性粗糙度来构造底层。 自由层下面的处理层可以是夹在自由层和被钉扎层之间的间隔层，或者可以是与间隔层相对形成的单独的下层。 或者，底层的纹理化可以用于在通过正交耦合层与自由层分离的偏压层中引起磁各向异性。 由纹理引起的自由层的这种自偏压也可以与来自硬偏压结构的偏压结合使用。

公开(公告)号：US20060218775A1

公开(公告)日：2006-10-05

申请号：US11097546

申请日：2005-03-31

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Eric Fullerton ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Eric Fullerton ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  H04R31/00

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  Y10T29/49041 ,  Y10T29/49043 ,  Y10T29/49044 ,  Y10T29/49048 ,  Y10T29/49052

摘要： A magnetoresistive sensor having a hard magnetic pinning layer with an engineered magnetic anisotropy in a direction substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface. The hard magnetic pinning layer may be constructed of CoPt, CoPtCr, or some other magnetic material and is deposited over an underlayer that has been ion beam etched. The ion beam etch has been performed at an angle with respect to normal in order to induce anisotropic roughness for example in form of oriented ripples or facets oriented along a direction parallel to the medium facing surface. The anisotropic roughness induces a strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface in the hard magnetic pinning layer deposited there over.

摘要翻译： 磁阻传感器具有在基本上垂直于介质相对表面的方向上具有工程磁各向异性的硬磁性钉扎层。 硬磁性钉扎层可以由CoPt，CoPtCr或一些其他磁性材料构成，并且被沉积在已被离子束蚀刻的底层上。 离子束蚀刻已经以相对于法线成一定角度进行，以便引起各向异性粗糙度，例如沿着平行于面向介质的表面的方向取向的定向波纹或面的形式。 各向异性粗糙度引起基本上垂直于沉积在其上的硬磁性钉扎层中的面向介质的表面的强单轴磁各向异性。

公开(公告)号：US20080074807A1

公开(公告)日：2008-03-27

申请号：US11944082

申请日：2007-11-21

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Shekar Chandrashekariaih ,  Stefan Maat ,  Jeffrey Childress

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Shekar Chandrashekariaih ,  Stefan Maat ,  Jeffrey Childress

IPC分类号： G11B5/39

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01F10/3236 ,  H01F10/3263 ,  H01F10/3272

摘要： A magnetoresistive sensor having a pinned layer that includes a first magnetic layer (AP1) a second magnetic layer (AP2) and an antiparallel coupling layer sandwiched between the AP1 and AP2 layers. The AP1 layer is adjacent to a layer of antiferromagnetic material (AFM layer) and is constructed so as to have a long spin diffusion length. The long spin diffusion length of the AP1 layer minimizes the negative GMR contribution of the AP1 layer, thereby increasing the overall GMR effect of the sensor.

摘要翻译： 一种具有固定层的磁阻传感器，其包括夹在AP1和AP2层之间的第一磁性层（AP1），第二磁性层（AP2）和反平行耦合层。 AP1层与反铁磁材料层（AFM层）相邻，并被构造成具有长的自旋扩散长度。 AP1层的长自旋扩散长度使AP1层的负GMR贡献最小化，从而增加了传感器的总体GMR效应。

公开(公告)号：US20070109693A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-17

申请号：US11281054

申请日：2005-11-16

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  H01F10/1936 ,  H01F10/3263 ,  H01L43/10

摘要： A magnetic head including a CPP GMR read sensor that includes a reference layer, a free magnetic layer and a spacer layer that is disposed between them, where the free magnetic layer and the reference magnetic layer are each comprised of Co2MnX where X is a material selected from the group consisting of Ge, Si, Al, Ga and Sn, and where the spacer layer is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of Ni3Sn, Ni3Sb, Ni2LiGe, Ni2LiSi, Ni2CuSn, Ni2CuSb, Cu2NiSn, Cu2NiSb, Cu2LiGe and Ag2LiSn. Further embodiments include a dual spin valve sensor where the free magnetic layers and the reference layers are each comprised of Heusler alloys. A further illustrative embodiment includes a laminated magnetic layer structure where the magnetic layers are each comprised of a ferromagnetic Heusler alloy, and where the spacer layers are comprised of a nonmagnetic Heusler alloy.

摘要翻译： 包括CPP GMR读取传感器的磁头包括参考层，自由磁性层和设置在它们之间的间隔层，其中自由磁性层和参考磁性层各自包含Co 2， SUB> MnX，其中X是选自Ge，Si，Al，Ga和Sn的材料，并且其中间隔层由选自Ni 3 Sn的材料构成 ，Ni 3 Sb，Ni 2 LiGe，Ni 2 LiSi，Ni 2 CuSn，Ni 2 CuSb，Cu 2 NiSn，Cu 2 NiSb，Cu 2 LiGe和Ag 2 LiSn。 另外的实施例包括双自旋阀传感器，其中自由磁性层和参考层各自由Heusler合金构成。 另外的说明性实施例包括层叠磁性层结构，其中磁性层各自包含铁磁Heusler合金，并且其中间隔层由非磁性Heusler合金构成。

公开(公告)号：US20050207073A1

公开(公告)日：2005-09-22

申请号：US10856102

申请日：2004-05-27

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Kuok Ho ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Kuok Ho ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G01R33/09 ,  G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/39 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F10/32

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  H01F10/30 ,  H01F10/3268 ,  H01F10/3295

摘要： A magnetically-coupled structure has two ferromagnetic layers with their in-plane magnetization directions coupled orthogonally across an electrically-conducting spacer layer that induces the direct orthogonal magnetic coupling. The structure has application for in-stack biasing in a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor. One of the ferromagnetic layers of the structure is an antiparallel-pinned biasing layer and the other ferromagnetic layer is the sensor free layer. The antiparallel-pinned biasing layer has first and second ferromagnetic films separated by an antiferromagnetically-coupling film. An antiferromagnetic layer exchange-couples the first ferromagnetic film of the biasing layer to fix the net moment of the biasing layer parallel to the moment of the sensor pinned layer. This allows a single annealing step to be used to set the magnetization direction of the biasing and pinned layers.

摘要翻译： 磁耦合结构具有两个铁磁层，它们的面内磁化方向正交地耦合在导电直接磁耦合的导电间隔层上。 该结构具有在电流垂直于平面（CPP）磁阻传感器中的堆叠偏置的应用。 结构的铁磁层之一是反平行钉扎的偏置层，另一个铁磁层是传感器自由层。 反平行钉扎偏置层具有由反铁磁耦合膜隔开的第一和第二铁磁膜。 反铁磁层将偏置层的第一铁磁膜交换耦合，以将偏置层的净矩平行于传感器钉扎层的力矩。 这允许使用单个退火步骤来设定偏置和钉扎层的磁化方向。

公开(公告)号：US20070133132A1

公开(公告)日：2007-06-14

申请号：US11304033

申请日：2005-12-14

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3932 ,  G11B5/3163

摘要： A magnetoresistive sensor having a magnetic anisotropy induced in one or both of the free layer and/or pinned layer. The magnetic anisotropy is induced by a surface texture formed in the surface of the magnetic layer of either or both of the free layer or pinned layer. The surface texture is formed by a direct, angled ion mill performed on the surface of the magnetic layer while holding the wafer on a stationary chuck. By applying this ion milling technique, the magnetic anisotropy of the pinned layer can be formed in a first direction (eg. perpendicular to the ABS) while the magnetic anisotropy of the free layer can be formed perpendicular to that of the pinned layer (eg. parallel to the ABS).

摘要翻译： 具有在自由层和/或固定层中的一个或两个中诱发的磁各向异性的磁阻传感器。 磁各向异性由在自由层或被钉扎层中的任一个或两者的磁性层表面形成的表面纹理引起。 表面纹理由在磁性层的表面上执行的直接成角度的离子磨机形成，同时将晶片保持在固定的卡盘上。 通过应用这种离子铣削技术，可以沿着第一方向（例如垂直于ABS）形成钉扎层的磁各向异性，同时自由层的磁各向异性可以垂直于被钉扎层的形状形成（例如， 平行于ABS）。

公开(公告)号：US20070109692A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-17

申请号：US11283033

申请日：2005-11-17

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  James Freitag ,  Stefan Maat ,  Mustafa Pinarbasi

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  James Freitag ,  Stefan Maat ,  Mustafa Pinarbasi

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3909 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetoresistive sensor having improved pinning field strength. The sensor includes a pinned layer structure pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer. The AFM layer is constructed upon an under layer having treated surface with an anisotropic roughness. The anisotropic roughness, produced by an angled ion etch, results in improved pinning strength. The underlayer may include a seed layer and a thin layer of crystalline material such as PtMn formed over the seed layer. The magnetic layer may include a first sub-layer of NiFeCr and a second sub-layer of NiFe formed there over. The present invention also includes a magnetoresistive sensor having a magnetic layer deposited on an underlayer (such as a non-magnetic spacer) having a surface treated with an anisotropic texture. An AFM layer is then deposited over the magnetic layer. The magnetic layer is then strongly pinned by a combination of exchange coupling with the AFM layer and a strong anisotropy provided by the surface texture of the underlayer. Such a structure can be used for example in a sensor having a pinned layer structure formed above the free layer, or in a sensor having an in stack bias structure.

摘要翻译： 具有改善的钉扎场强的磁阻传感器。 传感器包括通过与反铁磁（AFM）层的交换耦合固定的钉扎层结构。 AFM层被构造在具有各向异性粗糙度的处理表面的底层上。 通过角度离子蚀刻产生的各向异性粗糙度导致改善的钉扎强度。 底层可以包括种子层和在种子层上形成的诸如PtMn的薄层结晶材料。 磁性层可以包括NiFeCr的第一子层和在其上形成的NiFe的第二子层。 本发明还包括具有沉积在具有用各向异性纹理处理的表面的底层（例如非磁性间隔物）上的磁性层的磁阻传感器。 然后将AFM层沉积在磁性层上。 然后通过与AFM层的交换耦合的组合强烈地钉住磁性层，并且由底层的表面纹理提供强烈的各向异性。 这种结构可以用于例如具有形成在自由层上方的钉扎层结构的传感器中，或者在具有堆叠偏压结构的传感器中。

公开(公告)号：US20070047155A1

公开(公告)日：2007-03-01

申请号：US11216746

申请日：2005-08-30

申请人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

发明人： Matthew Carey ,  Jeffrey Childress ,  Stefan Maat

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： H01L43/08 ,  G11B5/3906

摘要： A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane spin-valve (CPP-SV) magnetoresistive sensor has an improved antiparallel (AP) pinned structure, i.e., a structure with first (AP1) and second (AP2) ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic antiparallel coupling (APC) layer with the magnetization directions of AP1 and AP2 oriented substantially antiparallel. The AP2 ferromagnetic layer (the layer in contact with the SV spacer layer) is an alloy of a ferromagnetic material and one or more additive elements of Cu, Au and Ag. The additive elements reduce the magnetic moment of the AP2 layer, which enables its thickness to be increased so that its magnetic moment remains close to the magnetic moment of the AP1 ferromagnetic layer. The thicker AP2 layer allows for more bulk spin-dependent scattering of electrons which increases the magnetoresistance of the sensor. An annealed AP2 layer results in more segregation of the ferromagnetic material grains and the additive element grains, and thus a further improvement in magnetoresistance as a result of more interfacial scattering of electrons.

摘要翻译： 电流垂直于平面的自旋阀（CPP-SV）磁阻传感器具有改进的反平行（AP）钉扎结构，即，具有由非磁性分离的第一（AP1）和第二（AP2）铁磁层的结构 反向平行耦合（APC）层，其AP1和AP2的磁化方向基本上反平行取向。 AP2铁磁层（与SV间隔层接触的层）是铁磁材料和Cu，Au和Ag的一种或多种添加元素的合金。 添加元素降低了AP2层的磁矩，使其厚度增加，使其磁矩保持接近AP1铁磁层的磁矩。 较厚的AP2层允许电子的更多的体自旋依赖性散射，这增加了传感器的磁阻。 退火的AP2层导致铁磁材料晶粒和添加元素晶粒的更多偏析，并且因此由于电子的更多的界面散射而导致的磁阻的进一步改善。