IP Library Granted Patent US 7,233,461
Granted Patent B2
US 7,233,461 · App. 10/761,698 · Granted Jun 19, 2007

Stabilization structure for CPP GMR/TV

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,233,461
App. No.
10/761,698
Granted
Jun 19, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetic head has a read sensor which includes at least one primary pinned layer, a barrier layer, and a free layer. An in-stack biasing structure having net magnetic moment near zero, notated as dM=0, is constructed above the free layer. This in-stack biasing structure acts to stabilize the free layer by exchange coupling.

Claims (38)

1. A magnetic head comprising:

a read sensor which is of Current Perpendicular to the Plane (CPP) configuration including:

at least one primary pinned layer;

a barrier layer;

a free layer;

an in-stack biasing structure having net magnetic moment which is substantially equal to zero, which acts to stabilize said free layer by exchange coupling.

2. The magnetic head of claim 1 , wherein:

said in-stack biasing structure includes paired layers of opposite magnetic orientation which are separated by a spacer layer, such that the net magnetic moment of said paired layers is substantially zero.

3. The magnetic head of claim 2 , wherein:

said net magnetic moment substantially equal to zero corresponds to a difference in thickness of said paired layers of opposite magnetic orientation which is less than 5×10 −10 meters.

4. The magnetic head of claim 1 , wherein:

said in-stack biasing structure includes a self-pinned layer pair.

5. The magnetic head of claim 1 , wherein:

said at least one primary pinned layer includes a pair of primary pinned layers, separated by a spacer layer.

6. The magnetic head of claim 5 , further comprising:

at least one layer of AFM material which acts to pin said pair of primary pinned layers.

7. The magnetic head of claim 5 , wherein:

said pair of primary pinned layers are self-pinned layers.

8. A disk drive comprising:

at least one hard disk;

at least, one magnetic head adapted to fly over said hard disk for writing data on said hard disk, and having an air bearing surface, said magnetic head including:

a read sensor which is of Current Perpendicular to the Plane (CPP) configuration including:

at least one primary pinned layer;

a baffler layer;

a free layer;

an in-stack biasing structure having net magnetic moment which is substantially equal to zero, which acts to stabilize said free layer by exchange coupling.

9. The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein:

said in-stack biasing structure includes paired layers of opposite magnetic orientation which are separated by a spacer layer, such that the net magnetic moment of said paired layers is substantially zero.

10. The disk drive of claim 9 , wherein:

said net magnetic moment substantially equal to zero corresponds to a difference in thickness of said paired layers of opposite magnetic orientation which is less than 5×10 −10 meters.

11. The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein:

said in-stack biasing structure includes a self-pinned layer pair.

12. The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein:

said at least one primary pinned layer includes a pair of primary pinned layers, separated by a spacer layer.

13. The disk drive of claim 12 , further comprising:

at least one layer of AFM material which acts to pin said pair of primary pinned layers.

14. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein:

said pair of primary pinned layers are self-pinned layers.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040819/0450 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2012
From: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 029341/0777 →